To commemorate the new vaccination site at the McMillen Park Community Center in Fort Wayne, several stakeholders in Hoosier healthcare took part in a panel to discuss where the COVID-19 battle goes from here.
The Indiana Department of Health opened the mobile vaccination clinic at the Abbott Street center on Fort Wayne’s southeast side.
Department of Health representative Shane Hatchett says it’s important not to pass judgment on those currently making the choice not to get vaccinated, but also stressed the importance of getting the shot as necessary to return to normal.
“We would greatly recommend that everyone be vaccinated unless their medical provider says that’s not the right choice for them, but we do know that the best way out of this is by achieving herd immunity,” Hatchett said.
A few audience members asked questions, mostly pertaining to best practices for combating misinformation about vaccines on a local level.
Fort Wayne NAACP president Larry Gist was asked how he is working to encourage Black residents on the southeast side to get their shots. He says look at your neighbors, or even your family.
“We need to think about those who’ve been exposed to COVID or even died from COVID, know that they need to have the shot," Gist said. "You know minorities like to have social gatherings, so if they want to continue to do that they have to get the shot.”
Gist also says he’s reached out to southeast pastors to help encourage congregants to get their shots, but notes that results so far have been “slow.”
The mobile vaccine clinic will be open through Saturday at McMillen Park Community Center from 9 am to 6 pm.
