The free COVID vaccine event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley’s South Side Bethlehem facility at 502 E. Fourth St.
UPDATE: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that the free vaccine distribution is a TWO-DAY event. It will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley’s South Side Bethlehem facility, 502 East Fourth St., Bethlehem, PA 18105.
South Side Bethlehem neighbors and nearby residents, age 65 and older, are invited to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine shot during a two-day event at the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley (HCLV) this Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20. Booster vaccines will be given on a second day in March and scheduled at the time of a patient’s initial appointment setting.
The vaccination campaign is jointly offered by the HCLV and St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) to augment the number of persons of color who become vaccinated, which is currently a nationwide objective. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Center’s South Side Bethlehem facility, 502 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem.
The vaccine will be administered by St. Luke’s nurses and nursing students, some of whom are bilingual. Registration is required in order to reserve a shot and can be made by calling 610-868-7800. Note: Vaccines will be administered by appointment only.
“We are sponsoring this pilot vaccine event to engage our local community in receiving the vaccine in order to improve the health of our neighbors and reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” said Hispanic Center Executive Director, Victoria Montero, who also serves as St. Luke’s Manager, Health Equity Initiatives, Community Health and Preventive Medicine. Pending the response by the community to this event, she said, the organizations may plan another one at the Center.
A nonprofit organization, the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley offers free educational, employment, recreational and medical services under one roof. It houses a Senior Center, food pantry, WIC and Social Service Program. Co-located within HCLV’s facilities are Pinebrook Family Answers, CareerLink of the Lehigh Valley and St. Luke’s medical services.
“While (the shortage) does temporarily impact some people scheduled for this week, we are rescheduling appointments for those who are impacted,” SLUHN said in a statement.
Note: This local health news is brought to you in partnership with St. Luke’s University Health Network.
