INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — People of all ages can get vaccinated for free on Halloween at the University of Indianapolis. The school is partnering with the Indiana Immunization Coalition to host the clinic on Thursday, Oct. 31.

The free vaccination clinic is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UIndy’s Schwitzer Student Center. UIndy is accessible through IndyGo’s Red Line.

Vaccinations offered include tetanus, Hepatitis A & B, meningitis, HPV, pneumonia, shingles, RSV, flu, and the latest COVID-19 vaccine. 

On Monday, UIndy School of Nursing Associate Professor Toni Morris joined Daybreak to discuss the importance of the clinic and immunizations.

“We have professionals there that will be able to help you understand which vaccines you can get. We know that can be confusing, especially when the schedules have been disrupted, but we have professionals there who will be able to help people understand which ones they are eligible for,” Morris said.

Morris explained why these kind of events are a key part of the learning experience for many UIndy students.

“It really is an important thing for the University of Indianapolis and their students because our motto is ‘experiential learning and education for service.’ So this really is getting outside of the walls of the hospital which typically we focus on in health care and meeting individuals where they are in their communities,” Morris said.

Morris says this clinic is important because there has been a decline in the community getting vaccinated for preventable diseases, especially children since the pandemic.

“So we’re still seeing the ripple effects of that. There were many missed vaccinations and their schedules, they couldn’t get to clinics – the clinics were closed. And again, that’s creating a huge problem. We’re seeing a big increase in vaccine-preventable diseases and sometimes death due to that,” Morris said.

If you would like to participate in the immunization clinic, complete the online form here.