New COVID-19 vaccine clinic opens on Indy’s east side

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — On Wednesday, the Marion County Public Health Department opened a new COVID-19 vaccine clinic on the city’s east side.

The aim of the clinic at 9503 E. 33rd St. near North Post Road is to provide better access for east-side residents. The department said Tuesday that appointments are available as soon as Wednesday. The county health department expected to administer up to 800 doses of the Moderna vaccine per day at the clinic.

Amanda King got her COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday at the new clinic. “I’m ecstatic! I feel great. I just feel so blessed to be able to have gotten my first shot.”

Dr. Virginia Caine, the county’s health director, on Wednesday said, “One of the things we try to do is look at different factors. We look at the rate of how many residents that may have a higher rate of poverty. Maybe a higher rate of unemployment. People of color. Because we have also looked at our vaccination rates and they’re lower in people of color. So trying to go to those areas where I can have equitable distribution of the vaccine. This was a great site for this to happen.”

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“I think this clinic is so important, because this is an area where you don’t have any vaccination sites that are close by. So, for convenience, because of transportation, if you took a bus and you had to go all the way to the far Westside it might take you an hour to get there. Then you get vaccinated and another long hour. So, it’s so important for people in this neighborhood to know that we can bring resources to them,” Caine said.

Caine also said a lot of apartments house senior citizens on the east side so they can come in and get vaccinated with less hassle on vaccine wait times and travel time.

China Finkton, who also got vaccinated Wednesday at the clinic, said, “I saw that the IndyGo was dropping people off here, so it’s really great that people without a vehicle can still get the vaccine.”

“I still have another vaccine to go in a month, but I’m ready to get back out in public. Ready to go see my family and do all the things that we used to do,” Finkton said.

News release

“INDIANAPOLIS – Appointments are available as soon as today at the Marion County Public Health Department’s new COVID-19 vaccine clinic which aims to provide better access for eastside residents. The Health Department expects to administer up to 800 doses of the Moderna vaccine per day at the clinic, located at 9503 E. 33rd Street. The department continues to encourage all residents 16 and older to visit [ourshot.in.gov]ourshot.in.gov or call 2-1-1 to sign up for their COVID-19 vaccine appointment.

“‘Getting the COVID-19 vaccine, along with continuing to wear a mask, wash our hands, and watch our distance, is how we will end this pandemic,’ said Dr. Virginia Caine, director and chief medical officer of the Health Department. ‘Through efforts such as pop-up vaccine clinics held in neighborhoods across the city, $1 million in grants to uplift community-based initiatives, and the opening of this new clinic to serve the eastside, we are continuing the work to make the COVID-19 accessible to all in our community.’

“The new eastside clinic located at 9503 E. 33rd Street will be open during the following hours:

“Tuesdays: 10am – 6pm

“Wednesdays & Thursdays: 11am – 7pm

“Fridays: 8am – 3pm

“Saturdays: 9am – 1pm”

Sundays & Mondays: closed

“Additional efforts to make vaccines more accessible to the community include IU Health’s program offering free rides to a vaccine appointment for those who need them. Residents in need of transportation to a vaccine appointment can call 1.888.IUHEALTH (1.888.484.3258) and choose option 9. Homebound individuals can arrange for a vaccine brought to them through the State of Indiana’s Homebound Indiana program. People who are interested can contact their local Area Agency on Aging at iaaaa.org or by calling 1.800.986.3505.

“The COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States underwent rigorous testing and proved to not only be safe, but also highly effective at preventing COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths. Receiving these vaccines will greatly reduce the risk of serious illness due to the virus.

“Those who previously tested positive for COVID-19 are still encouraged by medical professionals to receive the vaccine, as contracting the virus may only provide limited protection. Residents can be expected to feel some side effects after receiving the vaccine, which can include a fever, chills, tiredness, headache, or aching at the injection site. These side effects are normal signs that your body is building protection and typically go away in 24-48 hours.”

Aliya Wishner, Communications Specialist-COVID-19 Response, Marion County Public Health Department