Vaccine recipients wait in Columbia Hall for 15 minutes following their vaccination during a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Thursday, Jan. 28. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
With walk-ins and scheduled vaccination appointments declining, Salem Health has announced that it will begin shifting toward mobile clinics and its permanent locations to offer Covid vaccinations.
“As vaccination rates continue to climb, it is important to deploy a more on-demand model, with multiple sites and flexible scheduling,” said Brandon Schmidgall, chief administrative officer, of Salem Health West Valley Hospital, in a statement.
The health care provider said vaccinations are available at all eight of its primary care clinics in Marion and Polk counties.
Salem Health will also continue its vaccine clinic at Western Oregon University to administer second shots on June 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25. Walk-ins for first doses are welcome from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. The clinic has administered more than 34,000 vaccinations since opening on Jan. 11.
Salem Health’s vaccine clinic at the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center in Salem will also remain open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The clinic takes both scheduled appointments and walk-ins. The clinic is expected to stay open through early June for first doses and late June for second doses, but could stay open longer to respond to increased demand.
In Polk County, Salem Health will host two upcoming public mobile vaccine clinics:
Wednesday, June 16, 2:00 from to 6:00 p.m.
Talmadge Middle School
51 S 16th Street in Independence
Wednesday, June 23, 12:30 from to 4:30 p.m.
Dallas High School
1250 S.E. Holman Avenue in Dallas
Salem Health said it is planning for more mobile clinics aimed at migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, churches, homeless communities and rural areas.
Appointment scheduling is also available, for ages 12 and over, online at www.salemhealth.org/vaccine.
-Jake Thomas
