The Health Equity Strike Team assisted Dumas Family Pharmacy and Dumas Family and Doctor's Orders Pharmacy with the first dose vaccination of the Moderna vaccine for Desha County. Eligible participants included individuals in Phase 1A, 1B and 1C. The breakdown of vaccinations by race/ ethnicity were Black or African American at 276, White 123, Asian 1, Other 8 and Missing or unknown 141. The breakdown of vaccinations by ethnicity was: Non Hispanic 406 and Hispanic 143. The numbers by age groups were 28 for ages 16-24; 57 for ages 25-34, 77 for ages 35-44; 103 for ages 45-54; 174 for ages 55-64; 50 for ages 65-69 and missing Date of Birth 60.
“On behalf of the City, I thank all citizens and professional medical personnel that provided volunteer service for this clinic. It could not have occurred in a short time if assistance had not been provided locally,” Mayor Flora Simon said. “The second shot will be given on April 16, 2021. Persons taking the shot must return for the second shot, and the volunteers will also be needed. You are not completely vaccinated until you receive the second shot and then two weeks afterwards; so, continue to follow all the COVID rules and protect yourselves and others.
85 Volunteers worked 4 hour shifts. They worked in several areas such as door and waiting room greeters, check in people, copies, and drawers who filled the needles, observation and data entry. Home Health Director Renee Fortenberry and Home Health RN Amber Clemons drew the vaccines for the clinic. Volunteer Vaccinators included pharmacists, nurses, and members of the Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Tammy Kellebrew, a Pharm D with the Mena Regional Health System volunteered at the clinic.
“We love that the community comes out to support the community. So We appreciate that other people are coming out to help other people get their shots and get them themselves as well,” Kellebrew said.
Dickerson, Red Ink LLC, contracted through the ADH to set up the vaccination clinic. This clinic is in partnership with not only the Mayor's office, but the community all of these volunteers are from the Desha Community. Dumas EMS was also on site in case anyone had a reaction to the vaccine. The data collected is used to track the number of shots, the demographics, and the age groups.
Cheryl Stimson, Dumas Family Pharmacy said the Arkansas Department of Health is the leader who wants to get the shots out to a community that is under served or not having enough vaccines. Doctor's orders and Dumas Family Pharmacy have worked together so the people in a small county can get the shot.
Community organizers include Dumas Mayor Flora Simon , Jacqueline Washington and Debra Hawkins: Community Champions for Delta Memorial Hospital and DePaul Community Health Center, Cheryl Stimson of Dumas Family Pharmacy, and Lelan Stice , Pharmacist. Strike Team member Phyllis Dickerson, Dr. Michelle Smith, PhD, MPH, Arkansas Department of Health, and logistics lead. ADH employee Kimber knight supervised the data entry volunteers. Other volunteers included Erendira Vazquez, Arkansas United, Mt Zion Lodge #74, Mt Zion OES Chapter #75, Pastor Larry Alexander, Pastor Timmy Jones, Delta Memorial Hospital, Arkansas Department of Health, and Dumas City Hall Staff
Arkansas United worked to help register and translate for the Latino and migrant community who came to the event. Mireya Reith, Founding Executive Director, said the leadership for the clinics have come at a local level.
“We really want to say we celebrate with so many others the leadership of your mayor and the community that came together and said we are going to get our people vaccinated and just so many here that we have talked to with the special attention to the Latino and black communities come out,” Reith said. “ We were glad to be a partner in that and we hope that other communities copies what Dumas did, because there is so much need across the state, We especially need to work on our rural communities make sure they are not left out if we leave anybody without being vaccinated or don't address one vulnerable community that makes us all vulnerable.”
