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Capital BlueCross and Rite Aid, who since February have teamed up to vaccinate nearly 10,000 in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley against COVID-19, are again adapting quickly to eligibility changes by hosting a vaccine clinic for anyone 12 or older next Wednesday, May 19, in Harrisburg.
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 to 15, an expansion of the agency’s previous emergency-use approvals for anyone age 16 or older. On Wednesday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended use of the Pfizer vaccine in this expanded age group.
The May 19 by-appointment, first-dose clinic will be at Capital BlueCross’ TecPort offices, 3815 Tecport Drive, Harrisburg, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Guardians can schedule appointments by calling Rite Aid’s scheduling center at 866.674.4659. You do not have to be a Capital BlueCross member or Rite Aid pharmacy customer to register. Children ages 12 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
“The ‘after-school’ and ‘after-work’ hours are intended to be helpful to parents who are juggling busy family schedules. While we are focusing on 12- to 15-year-olds – who are the newest category of eligibility – parents and adults are also welcome,” said Capital BlueCross President and CEO Todd Shamash. “Our community clinic model with Rite Aid has proven successful in helping people gain quick and easy access to vaccines, and we’re able to react to demand in real time in neighborhoods throughout Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley.”
Together, Capital BlueCross and Rite Aid have vaccinated a broad cross section of eligible Pennsylvanians, and have increasingly targeted underserved, harder-to-reach populations with successful clinics at the Hamilton Health and Heinz-Menaker Senior centers in Harrisburg, the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley in Bethlehem, and the Spanish American Civic Association in Lancaster. Most recently, a walk-in clinic at the Salvation Army in Harrisburg met an underserved community where it lived, and made it easy for any eligible person to get a vaccine.
“Next Wednesday’s clinic is another positive step in that direction. Our employee volunteers, along with Rite Aid pharmacists and technicians, remain committed to bringing this pandemic to an end,” Shamash said.
About Capital BlueCross
Capital BlueCross serves a 21-county region in Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley by offering health insurance products, services and technology solutions that provide peace of mind to consumers and promote health and wellness for our members. The company delivers innovative solutions through a family of diversified businesses to create healthier lives and lower healthcare costs. Among these solutions are patient-focused care models, leading-edge data analytics and digital health technologies. Additionally, Capital BlueCross Connect health and wellness centers provide in-person service and inspiration to help people reach their health goals. Capital BlueCross is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association.