CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — A mobile vaccination clinic is making its way through Hampton Roads.
The clinic, which is being run by the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, and AshBritt-IEM Health, is part of an outreach strategy, according to John Cooke, who is the Eastern Region Emergency Coordinator for VDH.
“We tried to plan these clinics to solve for the variable of transportation. There are people in our community who cannot come to the larger community vaccination centers. It’s really important we come to them. That’s really the essence of this mobile unit,” said Cooke.
The mobile clinic is giving out one-shot doses of Johnson & Johnson. Cooke says the mobile clinic started its trip throughout Hampton Roads in Western Tidewater and has provided 91 doses since.
“Unfortunately, I believe we’ve reached the ceiling,” Cooke said about vaccinations. “We’re having to go out and reach for residents who are hesitant to get the vaccine. There are people in the community who say they’re not sure but if they have the opportunity to walk up to it, they’re more willing to get the vaccine. We’ve had some success stories at Harbor Park with the ball game. We have a couple of open dates with the schedule in June. We are trying to look for larger crowds of folks who might not be vaccinated. Why not take that opportunity right now?”
The stops are strategic and located in communities that are heavily frequented and easy to access.
“It’s important from a community equity standpoint and accessibility of not maybe necessarily getting out to a facility or inside a facility. It basically allows us to bring the shots to them,” said Jason Fawcett, who is the vice president of operations for AshBritt-IEM Health.
That accessibility is what Gail and Al Pebworth to the clinic’s site outside of a Chesapeake Dollar Tree.
“That’s what we’ve been waiting for,” the Pebworths said. “Just so we could walk in, get it, and get out.”
The Pebworths say they heard about the clinic in the newspaper and that they feel better knowing they’ve been vaccinated.
“Now we don’t have to worry about other people who haven’t had it,” they said.
The mobile clinic will be in Portsmouth for the next week before heading to other cities throughout Hampton Roads.
To find a vaccination site near you, please visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or vaccinefinder.org. You can learn more about the vaccine, its safety and answers to frequently asked questions at VDH’swebsite and CDC’s website.
Chesapeake and Portsmouth Health District Vaccination Sites
Date Time Location
June 1 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Dollar Tree 3376 Military Hwy. Chesapeake
June 1 3 – 7 p.m. Cuffee Community Center 2019 Windy Rd. Chesapeake
June 2 9 a.m. – Noon Wesley Community Service Center 1701 Elm Ave. Portsmouth
June 2 1 – 5 p.m. Cradock Recreation Center Allen Rd. Portsmouth
June 3 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cavalier Recreation Center 404 Viking St. Portsmouth
June 4 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tidewater Community College 120 Campus Dr. Portsmouth
June 5 1 – 4 p.m. Fourth Baptist Church 726 South St. Portsmouth