Updated, August 16 at 11:21 a.m.
Columbus' Cash For Vax clinics will remain open until Friday, September 10, Columbus Public Health announced on Monday. The clinics, which offer $100 gift cards to cover lost wages for Franklin County residents getting their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, were slated to end on Monday.
The city received additional funding from the state to continue the program that has vaccinated 9,385 people, according to the city. Of the people who received the vaccine through the program, 55% were people of color and 56% were under the age of 39.
“We’ve seen this program work to bring more people to our clinics, especially people of color and younger people. As cases continue to rise locally, we need this extra incentive to increase vaccinations to protect health and prevent hospitalizations from the delta virus," Columbus Public Heath Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts said.
Vaccines and the $100 gift cards will be available while supplies last from noon to 7 p.m. at the following locations. No appointment is needed.
- Mondays at the Linden Community Center, 1350 Briarwood Ave.
- Tuesdays at the Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, 4099 Karl Road
- Wednesdays at the Barack Community Center, 580 E. Woodrow Ave.
- Wednesdays at the Somali Community Association of Ohio, 3422 Cleveland Ave.
- Thursdays at the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, 4646 Tamarack Blvd.
- Fridays at the Westgate Community Center, 455 S. Westgate Ave.
- Fridays at the St. Stephen the Martyr Church, 4131 Clime Road
Vaccines and gift cards will also be offered to residents getting their first dose at the Columbus Public Health walk-in clinic at 240 Parsons Ave. The clinic is open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Original Story
Columbus Public Health hosts its final Vax For Cash clinics, at least for now, on Monday in Linden and on the city's eastside.
For the past six weeks, Columbus health officials have been hosting weekly pop-up vaccine clinics to bolster outreach in neighborhoods that need it. They’re even offering $100 dollar gift cards to help cover lost wages.
Dr. Mysheika Roberts said the approach has been working because the consistency of the clinic's location.
“They want stability, they want to know that they can depend on us being at a certain location for an extended period of time, whether it be days or weeks and so our plan moving forward is to continue those long term arrangements and go into those communities that have low vaccine rates,” Roberts said.
According to city figures, vaccinations during each week of the program were double or triple the number in the week prior to launch.
Although the Vax For Cash program ends today, public health officials expect another round to start soon.
