The holidays will be festive and rewarding for community members seeking to receive a 1st, 2nd or Booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Upcoming vaccination opportunities in the month of December include the Children’s Christmas Parade, Porterville’s last Vaccine Roundup of the year, and the Christmas Polar Express Drive Thru at Porterville College. At each of these events, individuals 12 years of age and up receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible to receive a $100 Gift Card to a local Porterville business, federally funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for individuals 12 years and older receiving a vaccine.
Supporting vaccination efforts through partnerships with fellow community organizations is a strategic approach to increasing first and second-dose vaccinations and booster doses. On November 29, 2021, the CDC strengthened their recommendation on booster doses to include everyone 18 years or older. From the CDC, “Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot either when they are 6 months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or 2 months after their initial J&J vaccine.” In relation to the Omicron variant, the CDC stated that “[t] recent emergence of the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) further emphasizes the importance of vaccination, boosters, and prevention efforts needed to protect against COVID-19.” To read more from the CDC, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1129-booster-recommendations.html.
As many holiday and end-of-year celebrations approach, vaccination continues to be an important tool in any individual’s or family’s toolkit to help build stronger immunity against COVID-19 in an effort to prevent serious illness and hospitalization.
Upcoming Vaccination Opportunities Featuring Incentives Include:
Children’s Christmas Parade (Ages 12+)
A time-honored City of Porterville event, the parade will welcome community members to enjoy parade entries while also offering a way to keep the family safer throughout the holidays.
- Saturday, December 4, 2021
- Location: 314 N. Main St., Porterville, CA 93257 (Public Parking near San Joaquin Valley College – SJVC)
- Hours: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Available vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech (1st, 2nd, Booster) and Moderna Boosters. Pediatric doses of the vaccine for children 5 – 11 years of age will not be available on these dates.
- $100 Gift Card Incentive for 12+ (Federally funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and coordinated by the City of Porterville)
Christmas Polar Express Drive-Thru (Ages 5-11 and 12+)
Parenting Network helps improve the quality of life of children and families through resources offered at the Family Resource Center. They have partnered with Porterville College, SVMC-Imperial Ambulance Community Vaccination Clinic, City of Porterville and many other community partners to bring a holiday event to community members.
- Saturday, December 11, 2021
- Location: Porterville College (Enter through S. Plano St. Entrance)
- Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Available vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech (1st, 2nd, Booster) and Moderna Boosters. Pediatric doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 – 11 will be available at this event.
- $100 Gift Card Incentive for 12+ (Federally funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and coordinated by the City of Porterville)
- Children ages 5 – 11 who receive their vaccine will get a special children’s gifts including a $25 gift card courtesy of community partner donations.
- Free resources from community partners: food boxes, turkeys, sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, face masks, gift wrap.
- All resources available while supplies last.
Porterville’s Vaccine Roundup – Round #6 (Ages 12+)
The last Vaccine Roundup of the year will again feature $100 Gift Card Incentives for individuals 12 years of age and up receiving the vaccine at the Community Vaccination Clinic. 2,157 vaccines were administered at Round #5 of the event, which took place on November 18, 19, 20, 2021 and nearly 7,000 vaccines have been administered through efforts supported by the City of Porterville.
- Thursday – Saturday (December 9, 10, 11, 2021)
- Location: 385 Pearson Dr., Porterville, CA 9357
- Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Available vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech (1st, 2nd, Booster) and Moderna Boosters. Pediatric doses of the vaccine for children 5 – 11 years of age will not be available on these dates.
- $100 Gift Card Incentive for 12+
Community Vaccination Clinic
The SVMC-Imperial Ambulance Community Vaccination continues operating weekly, Thursdays – Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Pediatric doses of the vaccine for children 5 – 11 years of age will be available at the clinic but not on December 9, 10, 11, 2021.
For more info, please visit www.sierra-view.com/COVIDvaccines.