Vaccine clinics find ways to attract youth; Canon-McMillan to host clinic
Photo courtesy of George Dodworth
Dawn Gerz, Curative’s director of nursing, and George Dodworth, local project manager, give a thumbs-up in a newly opened vaccine clinic featuring lasers and music to attract young people.
Photo courtesy of George Dodworth
Curative set up a Pfizer vaccine clinic at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Canonsburg featuring a laser light show and music in an effort to attract more youth to be vaccinated.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Carrie Fisher, a registered nurse with Curative, delivers a vaccine to 14-year-old Andrew Coleman last week at a vaccine clinic at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Canonsburg.
Companies and health systems are finding new ways to attract young people to their COVID-19 clinics.
Curative, a COVID-19 testing company, is using a laser light show and music at its newly opened vaccine clinic in St. Patrick Catholic Church in Canonsburg.
Washington Health System is hosting two upcoming vaccine clinics, where kids 12 and older will receive gifts and have a chance to win prizes.
The Curative vaccine clinic, which opened nearly two weeks ago, received about 6,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, according to local project manager George Dodworth. He said since the availability has been opened up to children and teenagers, Curative is trying to make the clinic more appealing to youth.
“We wanted it to feel like more of a fun experience, instead of feeling like a hospital or a gymnasium,” Dodworth said. “Hopefully it will ease some of their anxiety.”
Dodworth owns the laser and light show company, Lightwave International, which presents shows and special effects for concerts and other larger-scale entertainment across the nation. When the pandemic hit, business came to a halt, he said.
“We do plan to open again and start doing shows soon,” he said.
Dodworth, who’s from Canonsburg, started with Curative as a volunteer last year before being hired. Along with the vaccine clinic, he also set up a mobile testing site in the borough.
The clinic, which takes up a portion of the cafeteria, is just like any other, but instead of overhead lighting, it’s lit with vibrant, colorful lasers while top 10 popular music selections play in the background.
“We like to try any new way to attract people who may be on the fence about this vaccine,” Dodworth said.
Although the ambiance is geared toward young people, the clinic is open to anyone, with walk-ins welcome. Dodworth said the younger folks coming in to get vaccinated seem to appreciate the light show and take pictures to document the experience.
In an email, Dodworth said, “15 minutes of observation has never been this fun!”
Andrew Coleman, a Canon-McMillan ninth-grader, attended the clinic last week to get his vaccine.
“I was not expecting the lights at all,” he said enthusiastically.
Washington Health System’s walk-in Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinics are geared toward teens.
At the mass vaccination clinics, children 12 years and up will have a chance to win prizes like Beats earbuds, gift cards, tickets to The Escape Room, and more. Every teen who gets the vaccine will receive a gift along with raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes.
“We feel that offering an incentive in the form of raffle items will motivate parents and teens to get to the clinics and vaccinate without further delays,” WHS said in an email, noting the faster residents get vaccinated, the faster the community can “return to more normal lives.”
Clinics will be held on the following dates:
- Wednesday, May 19, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Peters Township Recreational Center;
- Thursday, May 20, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Washington Crown Center Mall.
No registration is required. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
While the two vaccine clinics are geared toward teens, adults can also receive the vaccine there, and will be eligible for the raffles.
In addition, WHS will now accept anyone age 12 and older at all of its clinics.
Walk-in clinic days and times vary, so visit whs.org/vaccine to check clinic hours. Those 18 years old and up must have a valid photo identification.
Canon-McMillan School District also announced it will hold a free clinic in conjunction with UPMC at the Canon-McMillan Senior High School gym on Monday, May 24 from 3 to 6 p.m. for anyone 12 years old and up.
The second Pfizer vaccine will be given on Monday, June 14, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the same location. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
To pre-register for the UPMC vaccine, visit cmsd.k12.pa.us for the link. Walk-ins are accepted, but preregistration is recommended.
Note: Mon Valley Hospital will offer regular first and second dose clinics for anyone 12 and older on Tuesday, May 18, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. and Friday, May 21, from 8 to 11:30 a.m.
Staff writer Karen Mansfield contributed to this story.