A COVID-19 vaccine mobile clinic will be rewarding those who get vaccinated with a $5 gift card to Slab Pizza.
This mobile clinic will be located at the Slab Pizza just south of BYU Campus on July 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. Students will be entered into a drawing for three $100 Visa gift cards if they receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. If someone is already vaccinated and brings an unvaccinated friend they can also enter into the drawing.
BYU political science professor Jessica Preece said she got involved with the mobile clinic because “no one else seemed to be making it super easy for students to get vaccinated over the summer.”
Preece was anxious for what would happen during fall semester if students weren’t vaccinated and everyone was back in person, so she decided to channel that concern into trying to make a difference. With students having busy schedules and many lacking cars to get to vaccination sites, she wanted to help bring the vaccines to them.
The mobile vaccination clinic is offered through the Utah Department of Health. It was organized and will be run by a group of BYU faculty, staff and students.
Molecular biology senior Aurora Golden-Appleton is part of this group and said they are targeting BYU students with the clinic to help facilitate a safe campus reopening. The clinic is hoping to provide a convenient, easy and accessible way for students to get vaccinated before fall semester.
Preece said pushing for folks to get vaccinated will help prevent another huge spike of COVID-19 cases that could endanger everyone and cause things to shut down again. Because the delta variant is on the rise in Utah, Preece said the unvaccinated are extremely vulnerable. She thinks it is important to start working on this problem before fall semester starts rather than waiting for the variant to spread.
“We’re all so tired of the pandemic, and the best way to move on is for everyone who can to get vaccinated. Loyal, strong, immune!” Preece said.
Participants just have to show up and will receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for free. Preece said they are offering the one-shot vaccine so individuals don’t need to worry about coming back for a second dose. Bringing insurance is optional as no one will be turned away who wants the vaccine, but students will need to bring a form of identification.
“Even if you have had COVID, we are encouraging people to come out,” Golden-Appleton said. She hopes people who aren’t personally concerned about COVID-19 heed encouragement from the university and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help protect the “greater good of the community and our siblings in the community” by getting vaccinated.
The mobile clinic will also be offered on July 20 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Campus Way Apartments, and on July 21 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Alpine Village Apartments. Food will be available and participants can enter into the drawing at these two events as well.
