COVID-19 vaccination clinics consolidated to central location

Reid Health is transferring its COVID-19 vaccination operations to a single, central location.

Starting next week, the health system will only have open the public COVID vaccination clinic at the Kuhlman Center on the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Richmond. The satellite sites in Lynn and Connersville will be closed.

Both have been open one day a week since Reid Health began administering vaccines in mid-December. First-dose appointments at those locations stopped a few weeks ago to allow for their eventual closures. Since then, only second-dose appointments have been scheduled at those sites.

The clinic at the Kuhlman Center (861 N. Salisbury Road) has the capacity to handle several hundred vaccinations a day, more than could be done at either the Lynn or Connersville locations.

"The process at our Kuhlman Center clinic has been going smoothly since its launch last month," said Billie Kester, Vice President of Continuum of Care for Reid Health. "We encourage everyone who is eligible to schedule an appointment and get vaccinated."

Those who have used the Kuhlman Center site have praised the staff working there and the overall experience.

"Everything was incredibly well-organized, people were friendly and professional, social distancing and masking were being observed, and every chair was cleaned as soon as it was vacated," one person wrote in a letter to Reid. "Thank you for leading such an incredibly dedicated, caring and compassionate group of people who clearly love and support our community in everything that they do."

"The process at our Kuhlman Center clinic has been going smoothly since its launch last month. We encourage everyone who is eligible to schedule an appointment and get vaccinated." -- Billie Kester, Vice President of Continuum of Care

Reid has been designated a host site by the Indiana State Department of Health with responsibility for helping to vaccinate Wayne, Randolph, Union and Fayette counties.

County health departments in those areas also are offering vaccinations through their own clinics. Those are located at:

• Wayne County: 601 E. Main St., Richmond
• Randolph County: 1885 U.S. 27, Winchester
• Union County: 6 W. South St., Liberty
• Fayette County: 401 Central Ave., Connersville

The ISDH recently lowered the age limit for vaccinations. Those now eligible include:

• Any Hoosier age 65 and older;
• Healthcare workers who live or work in Indiana and have face-to-face interactions with patients or contact with infectious materials in a healthcare setting; and
• First responders who are firefighters, police officers or sheriff's deputies, Emergency Medical Services, reservists or correctional officers who live or work in Indiana and who are regularly called to the scene of an emergency to give medical aid.

Patients must schedule a visit through the state website, ourshot.in.gov, using either the Firefox or Chrome web browser.

Reid's clinic at the Kuhlman Center is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.

The state has designated 211 as a call line for assistance, but Reid has been made aware at least some local sites aren't showing for 211 staff as having available appointments. Patients should specifically ask for the Kuhlman Center if 211 staff don't initially list it as an option.

If you still can't schedule an appointment at the Kuhlman Center through 211, please call 765-935-8484 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"Everything was incredibly well-organized, people were friendly and professional, social distancing and masking were being observed, and every chair was cleaned as soon as it was vacated. Thank you for leading such an incredibly dedicated, caring and compassionate group of people who clearly love and support our community in everything that they do." -- Kuhlman Center vaccination clinic patient

For those individuals who might need help getting to the Kuhlman Center, family members should assist with scheduling to ensure transportation will be available at the time of the appointment.

Once on site, patients will find directional signs and a phone number to call upon their arrival, 765-935-8484.

After a visit has been scheduled, patients will be sent a link to complete their registration. That information doesn't have to be filled out before arriving for their scheduled vaccination but doing so ahead of time will speed up the process.

Only those who live or work in Indiana are eligible to be vaccinated in the state. Ohio residents who don't work in Indiana should visit coronavirus.ohio.gov to learn more about how to get vaccinated in their home counties.

Those with questions about the COVID-19 vaccine can call Reid Health's hotline at 765-965-4200, and they can visit the FAQ section of the Reid website.