KANSAS CITY, MO (April 21, 2023) – Swope Health, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign, will provide free COVID-19 vaccinations on Thursday, April 27, through Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City, Mo. Swope Health’s medical mobile unit will be located on the south lawn of the National WWI Museum and Memorial (2 Memorial Drive, KCMO), and clinical staff will be onsite all three days to administer the COVID-19 bivalent booster to interested attendees, age 12 and above.
According to HHS, more than three-quarters of American adults and two-thirds of all Americans have been vaccinated against COVID. With 300,000 people predicted to attend the NFL Draft in Kansas City, Swope Health’s mobile medical unit offers a unique opportunity to help a large national crowd of people to ensure they stay current with recommended COVID-19 vaccine protection.
“The COVID-19 vaccine enables us to keep infection rates low, prevent the transmission of the virus, and protect the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Naiomi Jamal, M.D., M.P.H., C.M.Q., Chief Health Officer of Swope Health. “It also allows us the chance to have in-person community events, such as the one we’re eagerly anticipating in Kansas City,” she said. “We are excited to take part in this historic moment, while serving the public in the ongoing effort to keep everyone safe against the virus.”
This vaccination effort is brought to the NFL Draft as part of HHS’ We Can Do This COVID-19 Public Education Campaign, which is a national initiative to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines.
Media opportunities: To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the NFL Draft, Dr. Jamal, as well as Swope Health’s President and CEO Jeron Ravin, J.D., and the HHS Regional Director for Region 7, headquartered in Kansas City, are available for interviews in advance of the draft weekend. Contact Bridget Locke, Director of Strategic Communications Swope Health, at blocke@swopehealth.org or (816) 923-5554 (o) / (816) 830-2494 (c) to arrange an interview.
Additionally, clinical personnel will be available to answer questions and take photos each day of the event, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. A map of Swope Health’s mobile medical unit location at the NFL Draft (indicated by red bolded square) is attached.
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Swope Health, the leading provider of healthcare for underserved individuals and communities in greater Kansas City, has provided comprehensive primary care and behavioral health services for more than 50 years. Recognized as a patient-centered medical home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Swope Health’s commitment to an integrated model of healthcare aligns with its mission of improving community health and wellness by delivering accessible, quality, comprehensive patient care. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and The Joint Commission, Swope Health is also recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center. Annually, Swope Health serves more than 46,000 patients at 16 centers located throughout the area including Kansas City, Belton, Independence, Kansas City North, Hickman Mills and Wyandotte County, Kan. Learn more at swopehealth.org.
