INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County Public Health Department and IU Health hosted a pop-up vaccine clinic on the northwest side of Indianapolis at Light of the World Christian Church on Saturday and Sunday.
The two-day clinic offered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to those 18 and older on Saturday and Pfizer vaccine to those 16 and older Sunday. Since the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for those 16 and older, health officials and church leaders encouraged those 16 and 17 to sign up.
“We thought it would be consistent with our identity as a church committed to youth to also provide opportunities for those 16 and 17-years-old to also be vaccinated,” said Pastor Janae Pitts-Murdock with Light of the World Christian Church. “We have a thriving teen ministry here so it only made sense that we would provide an opportunity for our teens and other teens throughout Marion County to have access to the Pfizer vaccine.”
16-year-old Anthony Golden signed up for the clinic with help from his mom.
“Since we are trying to get back to this new normal, I definitely want to be sure he is safe,” said Monica Golden. “He is the last one in my family to be vaccinated.”
Anthony hopes more people his age register for the Pfizer vaccine.
“You shouldn’t be scared to get it. It will help you in the long run,” he said.
Sunday’s clinic was one of the first in Marion County to focus on young Hoosiers with 200 being vaccinated. On Saturday, the clinic vaccinated close to 500 people.
“There is no better testimony than a testimony from your friend who says, ‘Hey, I was over at Light of the World. I got my vaccination. It was fast. It was easy. You should get yours too,’” Pastor Janae said. “Positive peer pressure is real and having people share their positive stories and their positive experience about being vaccinated helps us get the word out to more and more Hoosiers and hopefully decreases the resistance in our community.”
Marion County health officials plan to do more clinics at churches around the city in the coming weeks.