Hamilton County to close vaccination clinic at 4-H Fairgrounds
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A popular mass vaccination clinic in Hamilton County is shutting its doors.
People at the 4-H Fairgrounds vaccination site in the Exhibition Center have administered around 65,000 doses since it opened more than a year ago. That includes first, second, and booster shots.
“This is not the end. This is just a transition to a different way to provide the service,” said Christian Walker, the emergency preparedness coordinator at the Hamilton County Health Department. “We’ve been seeing over the last few weeks, we’ve been starting to see a decline of uptake of vaccine. Fewer people are registering to receive the vaccine.”
Walker says the demand has leveled off from 400 people per day during its peak season to just 100 people now.
Indiana’s coronavirus vaccine dashboard on Monday says 248,623 of Hamilton County residents 5 and older, or 78.6%, have been fully vaccinated. That’s the highest percentage of all of Indiana’s 92 counties.
The Hamilton County Health Department, which serves all of the county but Fishers, says its closing its vaccine clinic the 4-H Fairgrounds after Feb. 18. It’s moving the clinic back to its office at 18030 Foundation Drive.
“There’s not going to be any interruption in service. We’ll have most of it packed up Friday evening,” Walker said.
“It was an easy time for us to make the separation from here and move back to our office, which allows us to fit into a footprint that is more appropriate for the number of people we plan on seeing per day.”
People who used the clinic say they liked its availability. Bryan Headrick, a Noblesville resident, said, “It’s been extremely convenient to schedule an appointment here. The staff has been tremendous, and it’s been great to know that it’s just a couple of miles from my front door.”
Walker says that if later on there is an increase in demand, they could use the space again. He adds there are 77 vaccine clinics in the county.
“We’ve seen those early adopters, if you will, come in and get their vaccine, and then we’ve seen the folks that have been more hesitant coming in during those delta and omicron waves,” Walker said. “And I think we’re kind of getting through to the point where we’re getting those that are very hesitant and I think you’re also going to start seeing a transition into the primary care providers offices as well, so that those that are hesitant are going to be speaking directly to their primary care provider about the pros and cons of vaccination and hopefully getting their vaccination when they’re in there as well.”