Jackson Free Press

Jackson Free Clinic is offering a COVID-19 vaccination to anyone interested for the three remaining Saturdays in April—10th, 17th, and 24th. The clinic, which offers free medical and dental care to the uninsured, is collaborating with the University of Mississippi Medical Center to provide the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the Director of Research and Education Jojo Dodd informed the Jackson Free Press.

"It is the one-time shot, and it also has some better kind of handling requirements for us as far as the cold storage (requirement) and at the same time, it provides protection to our patients against severe disease, hospitalization, and death," Dodd, a third-year medical student, explained in a phone interview Thursday.

UMMC medical students run the clinic. They launched a fundraiser last year to erect and equip a separate building for the dental offering. Dodd said it was successful.

"The (dental) clinic opened in February, and we've been seeing patients since then," Dodd said Thursday. "It's excellent, it’s been great, we've raised just a little under a hundred thousand in that fundraiser (the initial target was $75,000); We're still raising some money to kind of better equip the space with dental equipment, but the building and the clinic itself is open for dental services."

Dodd said many patients were asking for the one-time shot before UMMC made it available to the clinic. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the other available vaccines in the United States; both are double shots and have more stringent cold-temperature storage requirements than Johnson and Johnson.

The clinic welcomes walk-ins for the vaccination program at the clinic location at 925 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from 9 a.m. to noon on those Saturdays. Dodd, however, said calling beforehand to make an appointment at 601-355-5161 would make the experience faster.

"If someone makes an appointment, they should expect to be at our clinic for 30 minutes, and then that will be it. So will be really in and out quick," Dodd said.

Bringing Equity to Mississippi Vaccinations

Dodd said there is a possibility of extending the vaccination days beyond April depending on the demand, adding that effort will help bridge the demographic divide for vaccination in Mississippi.

"We're hoping to vaccinate several hundred through this effort; this is an effort to bring some equity to the vaccination program," he said. "(In) a state that is 38% African American, I think the last numbers I saw was (that) 30% of those vaccinated were African Americans.”

"Eighty percent or so of our patients are African Americans; extending access to our patient population will continue to increase, despite socioeconomic things at play, access of minority populations to the vaccine. We're hoping that our patients will, you know, bring their family, their friends, or neighbors who are also interested in getting the vaccine."

On March 16, Mississippi became the second state after Alaska to open vaccination to everyone 16 years old and above. In Hinds County, 31% have received at least one vaccination shot, with 22% fully vaccinated.

Virtual HIV Consultation

HIV patients now have a virtual option for medical consultation, the Mississippi State Department of Health said in a statement on April 7. The department said it is collaborating with the Crossroads Clinic in the Jackson Medical Mall as the clinic continues to receive in-person visits.

"Patients will be able to set up a virtual consultation online with a medical provider," the department stated. "Through the virtual clinic, patients can receive educational information on HIV, PrEP or PEP."

"The patient can also speak with a PrEP Navigator to determine if PrEP or PEP is right for them," it added. "Crossroads Virtual Clinic focuses on TelePrEP and PEP programs throughout the state. Patients can start and receive treatment for STDs at no cost."

To schedule a virtual clinic appointment, call 601-432-3066.

Email story tips to city/county reporter Kayode Crown at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @kayodecrown.