Original Event Description:

The City of Statesboro will host a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at City Hall. The first 200 visitors in line at the vaccine clinic will get a $50 gift card after receiving their choice of the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The free vaccines will be administered by licensed practitioners from the Bulloch County Health Department. The clinic is open to the public but visitors must be 18 years of age or older to receive a vaccine.

“The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community is to receive the vaccine,” said Mayor Jonathan McCollar. “In the past few weeks, we’ve seen an unprecedented surge in positive COVID-19 cases within Bulloch County. Now our regional hospital is almost at capacity. Our healthcare workers have been battling this pandemic for over 17 months and are at their breaking point. It’s time for us to move past this grim chapter in our nation’s history and the best way forward is through vaccination.”

The free vaccine clinic is part of a larger coordinated effort by the City of Statesboro to encourage residents to get a COVID-19 vaccine. During a special called City Council meeting held on Tuesday, August 24 at 11:00 a.m., Statesboro’s Mayor and City Council met to discuss the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Bulloch County and what could be done to encourage more residents to get vaccinated. The City Council ultimately voted to authorize the use of $10,000 in funding by city staff to provide a total of 200 $50 gift cards at the upcoming vaccine clinic. Council also asked city staff to prepare a strategic plan for hosting multiple tiered prize giveaways to reward vaccinated city residents. The plan will be presented to the City Council for consideration at the next regularly scheduled council meeting on September 7, 2021, at 9:00 a.m.