Lubbock health department expanding vaccination opportunities

Lubbock’s health department is offering expanded COVID-19 vaccination opportunities — including some gift card incentives — as the city’s vaccination rate lags behind the rest of the state.

The city will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic to coincide with the Texas tax-free back-to-school shopping weekend from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the South Plains Mall at 6002 Slide Road, according to a city of Lubbock news release.

The clinic will be located inside the mall, near the main entrance by Barnes & Noble Bookstore. The first 200 vaccine recipients will receive a $25 United Supermarkets gift card, said Katherine Wells, Lubbock’s director of public health. Those getting a COVID-19 vaccine will have their shot records checked in the state database to verify they need one.

She said this is the first time the city has offered a financial incentive for getting a vaccine, but her department has heard positive feedback from other health departments that have tried similar programs.

“We just thought it might help with some people who are on the fence about getting it, and with it being tax-free weekend, having a United gift card could be good to get school supplies,” Wells said. The cost of the gift cards is being covered by federal COVID-19 relief funds that had been awarded to the city, she said.

Walk-ins are welcome for that clinic at the mall.

For more information about that clinic, go to visit mylubbock.us/covid19vaccine or call the Public Health Department at 806-775-2933.

Across Texas, 53.3 percent of people have had at least one COVID-19 vaccination and 45.8 percent are considered to be fully vaccinated, according to data provided by the state health department. Lubbock County, however, reports 42.2 percent of the eligible population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, with 36.6 percent listed as fully vaccinated.