Wednesday July 7, 2021
By Mark Ferenchik
Columbus Public Health will now be handing out $100 Visa cash cards toFranklin County residents who get their first dose of COVID-19 vaccinations at 10 satellite neighborhood clinics.
Approximately 51% of Franklin County residents have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Columbus Public Health.
The cards will be offered to county residents getting their first dose at the Columbus Public Health walk-in clinic at 240 Parsons Ave. The clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The cards also will be offered between noon and 7 p.m. from July 6 through Aug. 16 at the following locations:
Mondays: Linden Community Center, 1350 Briarwood Ave., and William H. Adams Community Center, 854 Alton Ave.
Tuesdays: Far East Community Center, 1826 Lattimer Dr., and Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, 4099 Karl Rd.
Wednesdays: Barack Community Center, 580 E. Woodrow Ave., and Somali Community Association of Ohio, 3422 Cleveland Ave.
Thursdays: Sullivant Gardens Community Center, 755 Renick St., and Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, 4646 Tamarack Blvd.
Fridays: Westgate Community Center, 455 S. Westgate Ave., and St. Stephen the Martyr Church, 4131 Clime Rd.
The new program is aimed at boosting vaccination rates in areas where they are lower than the community at large, specially in Black and brown communities, Columbus Public Health spokeswoman Kelli Newman said.
The goal is to distribute 1,400 cards, Newman said.
Columbus City Council approved legislation in June for a different vaccination program also offering $100. The city said those cash cards would only go to city residents who got their vaccinations after the ordinance was approved as an incentive to spur more residents to get the jab. There was a total of only $275,000 allocated for payments, which means a total of 2,750 people will be able to get the money before it runs out.
For more information, visit Columbus.gov/c19vax or call 614-645-1519.