Walk-up COVID-19 vaccines offered in Parker’s Barbecue parking lot

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - It was a unique COVID-19 vaccine experience Tuesday in the East where people could get lunch and get the COVID vaccine. Parkers Barbeque on Memorial Drive in Greenville was the lunch and shot spot, making it possible for people to grab a bite and a vaccine shot.

The Brody School of Medicine at ECU teamed up with Parkers. Health providers gave walk-up Moderna COVID vaccines and general health screenings in the restaurant’s parking lot.

In recent months, health leaders are getting creative to reach more people and make the vaccine accessible. In addition to being at a restaurant during lunchtime, the walk-up clinic was available without appointments.

Professor Paul Shackelford with the Brody School of Medicine said, “We’re attempting to make sure we have a good response to the way this pandemic is playing out. We’re focusing today on individuals who either can’t get to a mass vaccination site or for whatever reason haven’t been able to get to a mass vaccination site.”

Dr. Shackelford said the Brody School of Medicine at ECU hopes to hold more events like the walk-up clinic to reach areas in the community where the vaccine may be harder to get.

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