Vaccination Clinic a Success

February 08, 2021
A line of cars quickly backed up on the northbound lanes of Highway 61 as people waited to get a vaccination shot at Ralls County Health Dept’s Clinic last Tuesday. A line of cars quickly backed up on the northbound lanes of Highway 61 as people waited to get a vaccination shot at Ralls County Health Dept’s Clinic last Tuesday.

The Ralls County Health Department held their first vaccination clinic on Tuesday, February 2nd at the Arch United Methodist Church, located just off of Highway 61 between New London and Hannibal. Originally planned for two days, the turnout was such that all the doses that the Health Department had were delivered in the first day and the second day was cancelled.
According to Tanya Taylor, Director of the Ralls County Health Department, 519 shots were administered. “In addition to Ralls County residents, we had people from St Louis, Kirksville, Lewis County, and Clarksville attend this clinic. The state discouraged us from limiting our shots to just Ralls County residents.”
Assisting the Health Department were staff from Marion/Ralls Ambulance, the Missouri National Guard, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Ralls County Sheriff’s Department, and volunteers from the Health Dept and from Arch UMC.
“The clinic was planned for 9a to 5p, but,” Taylor stated, “the doors were opened at 8:30 and we were done at 5p. We had people waiting in line at 6:00 a.m.” MSHP and MoDOT helped with traffic control, as the line quickly became a couple of miles long down the northbound lanes of Highway 61.
A clinic for the follow-up shot will be held at the same location and is tentatively set for March 2. Taylor advised that a meeting is planned this week to get all the details set and determine if appointments will be set up or not.
Taylor added, “There will be additional clinics held in Ralls County, but no dates or details have been set at this time.” Watch the Health Department’s facebook page for updates.