SOUTHWICK- The Health Department will host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Southwick Regional School June 15 from 3 to 6 p.m.
Health Director Tammy Spencer said in an email to town officials that the clinic would be open to anyone age 12 and up. The clinic will have the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, so those who get their shot on June 15 will need to come back on July 6 for their second dose.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was granted emergency approval for all persons 12 and up by the Food and Drug Administration.
The COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution company Curative will be partnering with the Health Department for the free clinic. Everyone who comes to receive their vaccine will receive one free ice-cream cone from Moolicious Farms.
Spencer said the clinic will be available to all eligible Southwick residents and residents of surrounding communities.
During the June 3 Board of Health meeting, Spencer said that Superintendent Jennifer Willard’s office had sent out a poll to Southwick, Tolland, and Granville student families to gauge interest in a potential clinic. They received 50 responses with 85 people saying they would want the vaccine.
No sign up will be required. If one is driving by and decides to get their shot, they may walk up to the clinic and do so. It will be a first come, first serve basis.
While New England as a whole has one of the best vaccination rates in the country, Hampden County has the lowest fully vaccinated rate in Massachusetts at 43 percent. 59 percent of Hampden County residents have received at least one dose.
Southwick’s vaccination rate is below the Hampden County average. 4,911, or 50 percent of Southwick residents have received at least one dose as of June 10. 4,287 residents, or 44 percent are fully vaccinated.
