East Cooper Medical Center to host weekly vaccine clinic

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) - East Cooper Medical Center is partnering with organizations to get the COVID-19 vaccine to people who don’t have internet access or public transportation.

On Tuesday, the medical center hosted a drive-thru vaccine clinic at its campus in Mt. Pleasant.

They were vaccinating people who meet requirements for Phase 1A.

On Saturday, a portion of the appointments at the clinic were dedicated to people who live in settlement communities in Mt. Pleasant.

East Cooper Medical Center CEO Patrick Downes says his staff and others volunteered their time for the clinic on Saturday.

“Most of these vaccine events people are scheduling and registering via the internet and not everybody has access to that so with our partnership with a local Rotary group, of the 400 people that are coming through today 50 typically don’t have access to the internet or transportation,” Downes said.

A collaboration among local Rotary clubs, the Coronavirus Vaccine Hesitancy Task Force and Closing the Gap in Healthcare helped schedule appointments and transportation for people to get the vaccine at the medical center site.

There will be future opportunities for people to get vaccinated who may need extra assistance.

Past President of the Rotary Club of Charleston and a task force member Sandy Morckel says these outreach efforts are important.

“We know that historically there have been hesitancy or just about health care in general within the African American community,” Morckel said. “We’re hoping that this opportunity will be created that will change that mindset about the medical system, about government, about health in general. We’re hoping that this can be the start of not only saving lives through COVID, but also helping to improve the lives of African Americans going forward.”

They worked with leaders in the settlement communities to get people signed up.

East Cooper Medical Center will begin hosting weekly vaccination clinics last this month. These clinics will be open to the people in the public who meet the vaccination phase requirements.

Live 5 News will provide updates when appointments can be scheduled.

The vaccine clinics are also in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant.

Members of Rotary Ready and Rotary Clubs of Mount Pleasant and East Cooper Breakfast volunteered at the vaccination clinic.

This effort is part of the “I Got It” campaign led by the COVID Vaccine Hesitancy Task Force and Closing the Gap in Healthcare.

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