UC Health, Greater Cincinnati’s academic health system, continues to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to members of the community under the Ohio Department of Health’s Phase 1B.
UC Health has provided first doses to more than 4,700 community members since Jan. 19, when Phase 1B vaccinations began for those aged 80 and above.
Among the first Phase 1B vaccine recipients at UC Health were Jay Chatterjee, dean emeritus of the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, and his wife, Janet, both aged 84.
“It went very smoothly,” Mrs. Chatterjee said. “We stayed in the car the whole time. They do all the work, and you just answer the questions. I just can’t tell people how fortunate I feel. I prayed…that we would be one of the first people to get it.”
The Chatterjees received their first dose on Jan. 19 and will return three weeks later for the second dose.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s like any other injection: it’s just a little pinprick and it’s over,” Mr. Chatterjee said. “More people do that and the more it’s known, I think people who have hesitation would accept it. And I sure hope so.”
UC Health is now scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments for individuals aged 70 and older, in accordance with Ohio’s Phase 1B COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. Those appointments will begin Monday, Feb. 1.
You do not need to be a UC Health patient, but an appointment is required. Appointments may be scheduled through My UC Health (MyChart) or by calling 513-584-DOSE.
“UC Health is proud to do our part to help bring our community out of this pandemic,” said Dustin Calhoun, MD, associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the UC College of Medicine and medical director of emergency management for UC Health. “We encourage all who are eligible under Phase 1B to make an appointment to get vaccinated.”
UC Health’s Community Vaccination Center is located in a drive-through setting at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute building on the health system’s Clifton campus.
When patients enter the parking garage, they can tune in to a radio frequency to receive information about the vaccine inside their vehicles. A pharmacist completes the check-in process at the vehicle window, and patients are vaccinated while remaining inside their vehicles. They drive to the second level of the garage for the 15-minute post-vaccine observation period and to schedule their next visit in the two-dose regimen.
UC Health will continue to offer vaccinations to members of the community under Phase 1B as it receives doses from the Ohio Department of Health.