WRHS picks up the slack left by state closure of vaccination sites
Clinics will be held 1-3 pm on Tuesdays and
Thursdays and 4-6 pm on Wednesdays and will be open to anyone from Rhode Island
or Connecticut over the age of 12.
In the early months following the roll-out of the vaccines, the health center had been limited by staff and supplies to offering vaccines only to existing patients.
Now, with roughly 62% of Washington County
residents fully vaccinated and demand dropping, WRHS has been able to fill in
the gaps in coverage through small clinics like those held at Chariho Schools
and at the Jonnycake Center of Westerly.
“As a Community Health Center, we feel it is important for us to ensure vaccines remain available to everyone who needs them,” said WRHS President and CEO Alison Croke. “We have an external, rented unit that we have been using for testing, diagnosing and treating that we will continue to use for vaccinations as well.”
Appointments will be required and can be made by
calling (401) 539-2461. While only the Pfizer vaccine can be used for 12- to
16-year-olds, vaccine brand cannot be guaranteed for anyone else.
The vaccine continues to be free for everyone;
insurance companies are charged for fees associated with administering the
shots, while the federal government reimburses providers for the uninsured.
Existing patients can continue to get the vaccine
anytime with an appointment or can get vaccinated anytime they are in the
office for other appointments.
Wood River Health Services is the Federally
Qualified Community Health Center for southwestern Rhode Island and
southeastern Connecticut, providing medical, dental, and behavioral health care
and associated services to over 8,000 area residents.
Sliding
scale payments are available to those who qualify.
Wood
River Health Services is located at 823 Main St., Hope Valley (just off Route
I-95 at Exit 2) and 17 Wells St., Westerly. For more information, call (401) 539-2461 or visit www.woodriverhealthservices.org.