COVID-19 vaccination clinic open weekly at King Center for Jackson residents – MLive.com

JACKSON, MI -- A Jackson community center is becoming the site of a weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

The city of Jackson is partnering with Henry Ford Allegiance Health to host the clinic at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 1107 Adrian St., to help reach the citys Black population, city officials said.

Henry Ford Allegiance Health began administering COVID-19 vaccines at the center on March 4 and will continue to do so from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays for those eligible under latest state guidelines. Currently, anyone age 50 and older with pre-existing conditions is eligible for the shot, along with previously approved groups like those in certain essential occupations.

The hospital sought a location on the citys south side to address COVID-19 pandemic inequities, Director of Community Engagement Myeshia Jones said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified evidence that some minority groups are disproportionally affected by COVID-19, and social determinants of health, such as poverty and healthcare access, can change some peoples health outcomes.

Related: New Michigan vaccine data shows disparities along racial lines

The MLK Center is a trusted location in the community where we know Black and brown people feel comfortable and safe coming to, Jones said. Equity is at the center of our work and this shows that our health system cares about our entire community.

Residents who want to be vaccinated at the MLK Center should sign up through their health care provider, officials said. Henry Ford Allegiance Health patients should use the Henry Ford MyChart online platform. However, walk-ins at the MLK Center vaccination site are welcome, officials said.

Jackson resident Ricky Hurst got his COVID-19 vaccination at the first distribution event on March 4, and said he thought access to the vaccine at the community center would encourage others to get it.

I think some people might be afraid to get the shot, but the more we show African Americans like me getting it, I believe more people in the community will be at ease, Hurst said.

In Jackson County, 9,371 residents have contracted COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Jackson County Health Department, and 217 residents have died.

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COVID-19 vaccination clinic open weekly at King Center for Jackson residents - MLive.com