BENNINGTON, Vt. — Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) will administer COVID vaccines 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 22 at the gymnasium on the former Southern Vermont College campus at 981 Mansion Drive in Bennington. 

 

Members of the general public ages 12 and older are eligible to schedule an appointment using the "make an appointment" link at https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine/getting-covid-19-vaccine. Registration is open now.

 

"This clinic will make a significant impact in helping get community members vaccinated and contribute to efforts to reopen the state," said Trey Dobson, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's (SVMC) chief medical officer. "Vaccination allows us to gather safely with one another, interact without masks or the need to distance, and once again enjoy each other's smiles and companionship."

 

Both adults and children ages 12 and over can get vaccinated during this clinic. The clinic will administer Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to those 12 – 18 and Johnson & Johnson to those 18 and above. The launch of the clinic coincides with the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine for people ages 12 – 15, which was announced earlier this week. To lessen the number of people in the clinic at a time, the clinic recommends one parent per child, unless both parents are getting vaccinated.

 

The clinic is open to those who live in Vermont; reside part of the year in Vermont, including college or boarding school students; have moved to Vermont within the last 6 months and who intend to become residents; and those who work in Vermont.

 

A pediatric provider will be on site to address questions from parents and children. In addition, pediatric nurses, who are especially skilled at vaccinating children, will also be working at the clinic.

 

The clinic will attempt to accommodate walk-ins. Registration is preferred to ensure limited waiting.  

 

"When both parents and children are fully vaccinated, the whole family is protected," said Marie George, MD, FIDSA, infectious disease specialist at SVMC Infectious Disease. "When many families get vaccinated, their collective immunity also helps protect everyone in the community."