Homer Unified Command changed the way it is providing vaccines this month. They have stopped planning mass vaccination clinics and shifted their focus to the COVID Care Clinic at 4201 Bartlett Street.
The Care Clinic has mostly Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer is the vaccine approved for ages 16 and older.
Derotha Ferraro from South Peninsula Hospital says they do have a some Moderna vaccine most of which is allotted for second doses. She says the goal for the Care Clinic is to provide vaccine every day from 9 to 5 on a walk in basis.
"Until we get the systems totally in place, I advise calling before you go. It's a walk-in, no appointment, but i'd call 235-0235 before you drive down. That way you're sure there is open vaccine available for you at that time," Ferraro said.
At the final mass vaccination clinic at Homer High last Saturday, Unified Command administered over 300 vaccines. Ferraro says they have now administered over 6,500 doses of COVID vaccine. Ferraro says, on the Southern Kenai Peninsula, data show the number of vaccines administered is around 10,000, which represents about 35%.
"So we sould still have a way to go if we're hoping to reach a significant number of folks with the vaccine," said Ferraro.
The Safeway website is also accepting appointments for the pharmacy on Sterling Highway in Homer.
COVID testing is also offered daily at the Care Clinic on Bartlett. The hours are from 9 to 6 p.m. There are signs in the parking lot with a number to call. Clinicians then bring the swab tests out to your car. Ferraro says, turnaround time for results is quick, around two days. She says the Care Clinic has seen a rise in positive cases in the last week.
"We have done just about 400 tests over the last week. Ten of those ended up being positive. So, we're at just under 3%, 2.7% or something," Ferraro said.
That's a rise of about one and a half percent over last week.
For all information about walk-in testing and vaccinations at the COVID Care Clinic at 4201 Bartlett Street, or if you just want to speak to a COVID nurse, call 235-0235.