Billings, MT – Appointments for fast, free Yellowstone County community COVID-19 vaccination clinics at Cedar Hall at MetraPark may be made online starting at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, April 1. The Unified Health Command (UHC) expects to have 2,400 first-dose appointments available the week of April 6.
Most people are leaving these clinics vaccinated within 30 minutes of arriving. The clinics are sponsored by RiverStone Health, Billings Clinic, St. Vincent Healthcare and Yellowstone County Disaster and Emergency Services with assistance from the Montana National Guard.
Appointments are available to all Yellowstone County residents age 16 and older. Individuals under age 18 must have a vaccination consent form signed by a parent or guardian. Consent forms are available at covid.riverstonehealth.org under COVID-19 Vaccine Information.
Next week’s clinics will be:
· Tuesday, April 6, noon – 4 p.m.
· Wednesday, April 7, 8 a.m. – noon AND 1 – 5 p.m.
· Thursday, April 8, 8 a.m. – noon AND 1 – 5 p.m.
To schedule a first-dose vaccination appointment, go to mtreadyclinic.org. You will need to scroll down to find links for each of the five MetraPark clinics.
Beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 5, appointments will be available by calling 406.651.6596. Appointments have been saved for people who are unable to schedule online.
UHC clinics are providing the Pfizer vaccine, which has special storage requirements and is approved for people as young as 16. Most small population counties have received the Moderna vaccine that is only approved for people 18 and older. Therefore, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has approved having 16- and 17-year-olds from other counties get their COVID-19 vaccines in Yellowstone County. Since these teens must have parental consent, the parent may schedule an appointment to be vaccinated at the same time the teen. Out-of-county individuals ages 16 and 17 should call 406.651.6415 to schedule a vaccination appointment.
Among the 161,300 residents of Yellowstone County, more than 41,000 have received their first vaccine dose and more than 27,400 have been fully immunized, according to DPHHS.
When you schedule your first dose, please be sure you will be available at that same time three weeks later to receive your second dose. Before leaving Cedar Hall, you will get an appointment for your second dose vaccination, which will be provided at the Shrine Auditorium, 1125 Broadwater Ave.
Masks are required at all times at the vaccination clinic sites. After receiving the vaccination, there is a 15- to 30-minute observation period before people are able to leave.
To learn more about safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines, go to covid.riverstonehealth.org.
COVID-19 vaccines also are available at many Yellowstone County retail pharmacies. Check vaccinefinder.org. Locations other than the free UHC clinics may charge a vaccine administration fee.