This year’s Artsfest will feature work for sale by a variety of artisans, food booths and live music. And it will offer something else: COVID-19 vaccines.
The Greene County CARES Mobile Support Unit will be stationed near the event to give shots to those who want them.
The unit is a partnership of Jordan Valley Community Health Center, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, the Greene County Medical Center, the City of Springfield and the United Way of the Ozarks’ Give 5 program. It will be at the southeast corner of the University Plaza parking lot, at 333 John Q. Hammons Parkway, Saturday, May 1, from 10 to 5:30 and Sunday, May 2, from 10 to 4:30.
Vaccines that will be available include the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for anyone 18 and up and the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 16 and older. Sixteen and 17-year-olds will need to have a parent or guardian sign a vaccine consent form. Those who choose the Pfizer vaccine will need to get a second dose on May 22 at the JVCHC clinic at 1720 W. Grand.
No appointments are necessary and anyone can get a free shot at the site near Artsfest this weekend.
And you can also get a COVID-19 vaccine this weekend at two Springfield-Greene County Library branches.
The one-dose J&J vaccine and the two-dose Pfizer vaccine will be available Saturday (5/1) from 9 a.m. to noon at the Library Center and from 1 to 4 at the Library Station. The libraries will host vaccine clinics at the same times on May 22 as well.
Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is strongly encouraged.
Health department spokesperson, Cara Erwin, said these onsite clinics will allow more people to access the vaccine.
"There are some individuals who are interested in receiving the vaccine. They just may not be able to get to a vaccine clinic," said Erwin, "and so we just want to be able to bring the vaccine to where people are--make it as convenient as possible."
The health department will hold more offsite clinics in the coming weeks and months so people don’t have to go far to get a vaccine.
Find out more information about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, including at the library locations this weekend, at Vaccine417.com or call 417-874-1211.
