Fort Smith Times Record
With 180,000 more Arkansans eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, pharmacies are going to have to assess how to accommodate more people.
Health Depot, 1210 Cavanaugh Road, in Fort Smith had been administering the vaccine in-house, but recently moved its vaccine clinic to nearby Haven Heights Baptist Church, 7701 U.S. 271.
Instead of having the vaccines spread out throughout the week, Health Depot has started holding weekly clinics on Mondays at the church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with appointments at 15-minute increments.
There are three stations for shots and places for people to sit for 15 minutes after the shot to make sure the patient does not have an adverse reaction to the vaccine.
Phase 1-B started at the end of January and included educators and residents over 65.
Since the start of distribution in December, Arkansas has given nearly 520,000 doses of the more than 750,000 doses allocated or received.
In Phase 1-A, medical professionals, nursing home residents and first responders received vaccines.
Here are ways to sign up for the vaccine once you are eligible.
Mercy
In order to sign up for the vaccine, residents can go to mercy.net/FSMVaccine and fill out the form or call 833-364-6777. Mercy has held vaccination clinics at Ben Geren Tornado Shelter. The tornado shelter is located at 7200 S. Zero St. in Fort Smith.
Fort Smith Times Record
Of the approximately 25 Fort Smith police employees that received the second COVID-19 vaccine this week, Daniel Vaught was unique.
Back in August, the officer was hospitalized for COVID-19, missing more than a month of work. He had pneumonia in both lungs and eight days in the hospital.
Vaught understands first-hand what it is like to have a severe case of COVID-19 and therefore was more than willing to receive the vaccine. He said the first dose did not impact his health and he does not expect the second dose to either. I can t say how the vaccine will impact everyone, Vaught said. But I can say how it will impact someone who has had COVID.
“Believe in Fort Smith” and the River Valley Economic Development Council co-hosted a virtual townhall panel discussion with a Q and A on Covid-19 vaccines
People residing in high-risk settings
Includes those who are incarcerated or detained; those living in group homes, congregate settings, or crowded housing; and student housing such as dorms and Greek housing
Vaccinations are still offered to Arkansans in Phase 1-B, which includes Arkansans aged 65 years or older, education staff members K-12, child care and higher education, frontline essential workers, food and agricultural workers, firefighters/police not covered in Phase 1-A, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, essential government workers, correctional staff, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and houses of worship leadership.
Those with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been moved from Phase 1-C to Phase 1-B.