MUNCIE, Ind. — After a sharp decline in local vaccine interest, Meridian Health Services will be transitioning its vaccine clinics into its primary care site offices, starting Monday next week.
Since January, Meridian’s Suzanne Gresham Center has provided thousands of Moderna vaccines to the community, and was one of few in the state to do so as a drive-up format.
It’s last day as a vaccine clinic will be Friday, May 14, with vaccines then moving to two other Muncie locations and locations in Anderson and Dunkirk. After this week, the Gresham Center will no longer provide vaccines.
“We have had less than 10 people a day for the past two weeks receiving their first vaccination, so the number of people wanting their vaccine will not overwhelm our offices at this point either,” Donald D. Day, DNP, MSNL, RN, Director of Nursing-Primary Care at Meridian, said.
The new locations will begin operating Monday, May 17. New vaccine clinic hours and locations include:
- 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mondays and Tuesdays, at Meridian MD, 100 N. Tillotson Ave.
- 1-5 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Meridian Pediatric Complex , 205 N. Tillotson Ave.
- 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Wednesdays at Meridian Primary Care in Anderson, 1547 Ohio Ave.
- 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Fridays, at Meridian Primary Care in Dunkirk, 1150 S. Main Street
Currently, each location is offering Moderna vaccines, which are only approved for those 18 and older. According to a press release, Meridian hopes to offer other types of vaccines at these sites in the future, including Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.
As vaccine supply shifts, so will appointments for those who were awaiting their second dose. Day said Meridian has been contacting those with a second-dose appointment reschedule. Those needing a new appointment can call 765-288-1928.
The healthcare system will also be changing the way it documents vaccinations, moving away from the state system and to its own local electronic health record. However, it will not impact the Indiana State Department of Health’s vaccine data.
“All of our vaccines go through the Vaccine for Children program that we have in place with the state, so the state will continue to have access to all of those being vaccinated,” Day said.
Those wanting to schedule a vaccine at any of the new sites will need to call the individual office, or Meridian’s general phone number, 765-288-1928. The new sites will also still be listed on the state’s website, ourshot.in.gov, with office information provided. However, vaccines will no longer be able to be scheduled online.
“We are very excited to move this to the offices where this will be business as usual and this will, over time, just become part of the process of ordering regular vaccine with the state,” Day said.
For more information, visit meridianhs.org.
