The district partnered with Fast Doc Urgent Care on Saturday to host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Carrie L. Lovejoy Child Development center gym.
“I think it was a great idea,” freshman Sofia Ogel-garza said. “I think it’s great that we have an accessible area to get vaccines and it was very convenient having it in an area that is accessible to a lot of people.”
Fast Doc Urgent care previously hosted five clinics at Allen ISD, vaccinating about 1,000 people. At this recent clinic, Fast Doc vaccinated 40 people. The clinic is free for recipients, and community members may pre-register through Fast Doc’s website. At the clinic, QR codes are available for on-site registration.
“I love it. We’re giving the community an opportunity, if they want the vaccine to get the vaccine,” medical assistant Chelsea Clowdus said. “Our main goal is just to be with the community and help the community.”
The clinic is offering Moderna, Pfizer and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for adults, and Pfizer to ages 12-18. For ages five to 11, the pediatric Pfizer vaccine is available. Lovejoy only provided a space for Fast Doc to set up their clinic.
“I appreciate it when people are doing things to help the community be safe on all kinds of levels. The idea that this company wanted to provide a vaccine clinic if they felt there was a need in the community again, and some of the committee members may have wanted to use this service,” english teacher Tamara Sakuda said. “It’s convenient, it was free, it was safe. I’m perfectly in favor of that.”
Outside the clinic, a rally gathered. The rally of people were displaying signs on the side of the road advocating against the vaccine and vaccine mandates, while also providing information about the vaccine to people who requested it. Their suggested sources of information were Natural News, The Healthy American, Children’s health defense, The Gateway Pundit and InfoWars.
“We disagree with Lovejoy holding a vaccine clinic in the first place because it’s not a school function to give medical procedures, but also because these vaccines are not necessary and they’re harmful,” a community member said. “It’s very troubling and heartbreaking that parents are choosing to vaccinate their kids when it’s really unnecessary and harmful to them.”
The next clinic will take place on Feb. 12 at the same location, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community members may attend the clinic to receive their first or second doses however they may go to different clinics if it is more convenient to them.
“We’re just happy to be partnering with Lovejoy,” Mike McWilliams, one of the owners of Fast Doc Urgent Care, said. “I just think it’s a great ISD and we had a really good experience when we sent our kids through, so we wanted to kind of help give back.”
