Vaccine clinic opens at Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass

SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A pop-up vaccine clinic opened Thursday in Simpsonville at the Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass.

The drive-up clinic is yet another effort by healthcare providers to make the vaccine more accessible as Kentuckians reach for a 2.5 million vaccination goal put in place by Governor Andy Beshear.

As more and more Kentuckians get access to a COVID-19 vaccine, the hope is that will propel the state toward that vaccination milestone that would would open the state back up.

UofL Health already had vaccination appointments at their site in Shelbyville, but they said more access is always a good thing, hence the site in Simpsonville Thursday.

“It’s difficult for people to make appointments, especially if they work during the week,” UofL Shelbyville Hospital CEO Aaron Garofola said. “We have some extended hours on Wednesday, but to get out where people are, and if they have an opportunity to take advantage of it then, that meets the goal of us just trying to get as many folks as we can vaccinated.”

UofL staff helped put on the event , but volunteers make up a large part too - like members of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps.

“I think it’s something that everyone should do in their lifetime,” Maddie Wood said, “try to give back to the communities that have helped them, and those that may not have the resources that they need.”

The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass said this was an easy decision to bring UofL for a drive-up vaccination opportunity.

“I know we’ve all been through a lot this past year,” spokeswoman Amy Duke said, “so we’re all just trying to do our part to get moving forward, so this little initiative that we could support from UofL and get into the community and into Shelby County, it was just a natural fit for us.”

The shots given are the Pfizer vaccine product. A second, booster shot will be given a few weeks down the road.

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