Mobile vaccine clinic sees good turnout

Christie Netherton, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

May 5—Wild Health held a mobile vaccine clinic Tuesday at Sts. Joe and Paul, where more individuals were vaccinated than at any of the company's other mobile clinics so far, according to Sayyada Hyder, M.D.

Wild Health — a genomics-based health technology company in Lexington that offers COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution throughout Kentucky — partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Kentucky Department for Public Health to help get vaccines out to rural western Kentucky regions, according to Hyder.

During the clinic, Hyder said more than 40 individuals were vaccinated by around 2:30 p.m. The clinic was open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hyder said the turnout for the clinic was "the best we've had in any other sites. This is a great turnout for us."

The turnout was much larger than expected, with the company running out of vaccine doses at one point and having to wait for extra doses, which were delivered some time later by the National Guard.

The company also collaborated with Catholic Charities of Owensboro for the clinic.

Catholic Charities helps offer community outreach, financial and legal assistance, humanitarian services, counseling, adjustment of immigration status and educational services, according to director Susan Montalvo-Gesser.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Montalvo-Gesser said the organization has utilized more than a quarter million dollars in disaster relief, assisting with housing, rent, utilities, supplies, etc.

Catholic Charities community resource bridge Heidi Reyes said the organization partnered with Wild Health to assist in making the clinic more accessible. The charity offered translation services during the event and helped to translate and market information about the event and COVID-19 resources.

"We just collaborated with them because we wanted to create more awareness and make it more accessible," she said. "That's been really essential because we're kind of ... closing that gap of communication."

Wild Health will hold a second vaccine clinic in Owensboro Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Legion Park on 3047 Legion Park Drive.

The company also has other clinics planned in western Kentucky, including in Madisonville and Princeton.

Hyder said the vaccines are free of charge and no insurance is required.

Anyone wishing to attend the Legion Park vaccine site Thursday may register in advance by visiting Commvax.PatientPortalKY.com. Walk-ins are also accepted.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360