'I'll drink to that.' Folks line up at Kennedy Center for a shot and a beer
WASHINGTON (7News) — In a vaccination clinic so unique it is drawing international news coverage, folks coming to the Kennedy Center Thursday received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine shot – and a free beer.
Lines formed as the walk-up clinic opened at 4 p.m. Although the free beer with the vaccine drew most of the attention, city leaders say there’s one other unique thing about the clinic – they decided to have it go until 8 p.m.
Although there are some clinics that go as late as 7 p.m. in DC, many close by mid or late afternoon, making it difficult for people who can’t leave work during the day to get vaccinated.
“Everybody talks about hesitancy, but really right now what we’re focused on is convenience. We just want to make it convenient for folks who haven’t [gotten vaccinated],” said DC deputy mayor John Falcicchio. “We have almost universally available vaccine. We just need to make it more accessible to people.”
“Definitely, access makes a difference,” said Luizilda de Oliveira, director of nursing and care management with La Clinica Del Pueblo, which serves many in the Latino community and others in DC. “Right now what we’re really working towards is to make sure the vaccine is available to everybody.”
Oliveira says flexibility is key to that, saying at times La Clinica del Pueblo hosts day-long clinics on Saturdays to try to reach people who have no time to get the vaccine during the week.
