The City of Minneapolis Health Department is offering free immunizations at pop-up clinics.
Clinics are offered at farmers markets, neighborhood block parties and back-to-school nights. A variety of vaccines are available, including COVID-19, mpox and tetanus.
Sebastiana Cervantes, a senior public health specialist, said the project began in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. The department did not just want to focus on immunizations but on creating a relationship with the community.
“Our job as the health department is to meet our community where they’re at and that was why we decided to do these pop-up clinics in tandem with our local organizations,” Cervantes said. “We’re here to foster trust. We’re here to say, ‘We want you to be as healthy as possible, and we’re going to give our community members all the options and ways of doing that.’”
The City provides all resources and staff needed for the events at no cost. They offer education and COVID-19 tests in addition to vaccines at larger clinics.
COVID-19 is the only vaccine available at every clinic hosted, which comes at a time when cases are on the rise in Minnesota and the United States.
The health department said they hope the clinics will reach people who otherwise would not have access to vaccinations. Most clinics can provide vaccines to the uninsured at no cost.
“We’ve had such success because we’re showing up even when we don’t necessarily have to be there,” Cervantes said. “But we should be there always and communities should be able to call on us at any time, whether it be about vaccinations or just general health issues.”
With over 50,000 students, the University of Minnesota is a large community in Minneapolis that the city hopes to work with more in the future, Health Department Spokesperson Scott Wasserman said.
Ryan Fauglid, a third-year public health student, said vaccines are particularly important for University students who interact with so many people.
“Vaccines are one of our number one preventative ways to ensure the health and safety of all students,” Fauglid said. “Especially at a university the size of the University of Minnesota, we run the greater risk of both catching and spreading COVID-19.”
With the upcoming school year, Cervantes said students should make sure they are prepared by discussing with their healthcare providers if vaccinations may be an option to protect against illness.
“No one wants to be sick,” Cervantes said. “No one wants to miss classes. No one wants to miss football games. No one wants to miss the concerts going on during the school year or during the summer.”
Flu shots will be available at clinics once the new vaccine is released for the 2025 flu season. There is a vaccination calendar on the Health Department’s website with information on the latest clinics.
“We’re really just trying to provide health services, vaccinations to our community members to build healthier communities,” Cervantes said.