Man who lost 2 brothers to COVID puts testing, vaccine clinics in barbershops
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — President Joe Biden and Marion County officials continue to urge Hoosiers to get vaccinated.
The conversation continues to make its rounds at businesses, schools and barbershops. One barbershop academy is offering more than a cut or a hairstyle.
Kenny’s Academy of Barbering is getting in on the work to encourage more people to get vaccinated. On Monday, it’ll have a COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinic. People who come to the clinics at two of the Kenny’s locations can get a free haircut.
The south academy at 5425 S. East St. will have a vaccination and testing clinic from 9-11:30 a.m. Monday. Second vaccine doses will be given Oct. 4.
The west academy at 2150 Lafayette Road will have a vaccination and testing clinic from 1:30-3 p.m. Monday. Second vaccine doses will be given Oct. 4.
The effort is important to the owner, who says he lost two brothers to the coronavirus.
Visitors to Kenny’s Academy of Barbering locations will quickly see COVID 19 isn’t a joke. “I personally wanted to get involved and do something to try to help others that may be susceptible to the disease,” said the owner, Greg Kenny.
In a 30-day period, Kenny said he received some of the most devastating news of his life twice. Two brothers — one in Illinois, another in Indiana — caught the virus and never recovered.
“I’ve become very transparent and explaining to them that this virus is real.”
His brothers’ death were part of his motivation. “I was in a barbershop a couple of weeks ago, and none of the barbers had been vaccinated, and that really really concerned me,” he said.
On any given day, he said, barbers and cosmetologists come in contact with hundreds of people around Indiana, creating a higher risk for the spread of the coronavirus if they aren’t vaccinated. “I really encourage people in the beauty culture industry to get vaccinated.”
Knowing firsthand the risk of not being vaccinated, Kenny said, the risk isn’t worth it.