UAMS, Palace Drug to Offer COVID-19 Vaccines on May 7 at Izard County Pioneer Days
| FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), in partnership with Palace Drug, will offer COVID-19 vaccines to the public at no cost at the Izard County Pioneer Days on Saturday, May 7, as part of a statewide initiative to increase vaccination rates in rural communities in Arkansas.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, only about 43% of Izard County’s population is fully immunized against COVID-19. Sixty-nine people have died of COVID-19 in Izard County since the pandemic started.
“We hope we’re nearing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we know there’s more to do so we can protect all Arkansans from becoming seriously ill with the coronavirus,” said Stephanie Kruger, associate director of Community Programs in the UAMS Office of Community Health & Research. “If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, need a booster, or just have questions about the vaccine, we encourage you to come out and see us at the Izard County Pioneer Days. We’re not just here to provide vaccines — we want to reach out to the Izard County community and answer questions so you can make an informed decision about your health care.”
COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to significantly lessen symptoms of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 11,000 people in Arkansas since 2020. While the number of cases in Arkansas continues to decline, protection against the virus is encouraged by medical officials to avoid serious illness or death.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is available to anyone five years of age and older, and the Moderna shots are available to anyone 18 and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a first booster shot for people 12 and older five months after their initial series of vaccines and a second one at least four months later for individuals 50 and older or those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
Vaccines and booster shots are available to the public at no cost. Transportation to the mobile vaccine clinic is available through United Way/211. For more information or to schedule your ride, visit 211.org or call 211.
For more information about COVID-19, including resources, mobile vaccine events and education, visit nwa.uams.edu/covid.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report recognized UAMS Medical Center as a Best Hospital for 2021-22; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide for the third year; and named five areas as high performing — colon cancer surgery, diabetes, hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke. UAMS has 3,047 students, 873 medical residents and fellows, and six dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 11,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.
The UAMS Northwest Regional Campus includes 288 medical, pharmacy, nursing and health professions students, 64 medical and pharmacy residents, two sports medicine fellows, and 1,000 community-based faculty. The campus has nine clinics including a student-led clinic and physical, occupational and speech therapy. Faculty conduct research to reduce health disparities. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.