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Chambers County Health and Wellness Center will provide coronavirus vaccinations on its campus once a month to whoever wants one. 

The dates scheduled for vaccinations so far are Feb. 22, Mar. 21, Apr. 18 and May 16. All running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. CT. The vaccines will be administered by Auburn University faculty and staff from the pharmacy and nursing colleges. 

The vaccines are 100% free for those who are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare. For anyone uninsured, the vaccines will cost $190. However, there are locations that offer free and low-cost vaccines and testing, including CVS and the Chambers County Health Department, by appointment.

While the number of patients is nowhere close to the number at the height of the pandemic, there are still deaths from COVID-19 daily. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Alabama saw 30 deaths from COVID-19 last week. 

The Health and Wellness Center saw four cases of COVID this month. EAMC saw the highest number of cases, with 18, earlier this month.

“We are continuing to see COVID diagnoses in the community,” said Linda Gibson-Young, Professor of Nursing at Auburn University and organizer of CCHWC programs. 

The Association of American Medical Colleges explained the reasons to not only get vaccines but to stay up-to-date with COVID-19 boosters. While the population has built up some immunity to past variants, as more and more get vaccinated against the virus, we are still vulnerable to new variants. Not unlike the flu shot we get every year, COVID-19 vaccinations can protect us from serious illness as the virus evolves into new variations.  

“Getting the COVID vaccination is a safer way to build protection up against COVID-19,” Gibson-Young said. “It helps protect people by giving them their immunity or immune response towards that infection.”

The center has also scheduled a comprehensive free healthcare screening day for Feb. 16. Auburn faculty and students will be providing services all day at the CCHWC. The services offered will be an overall health screening, medication review, weight assessment, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and nutrition screening. The medical professionals and staff of CCHWC can also provide local financial and medical resources. 

The center also offers speech and hearing screenings on a monthly and bimonthly basis. For dates of these screenings, patients can check the center’s Facebook page. 

The Auburn University Rural Health Initiative aims to address health disparities across rural Alabama. The CCHWC in LaFayette became the first of these health centers in 2023. Since then, the center has provided medical services and put on various screenings and classes for the community. It was announced in December the LaFayette OnMed telehealth station, which connects locals to licensed professionals for medical screenings, was the busiest in the country.