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Indiana Uses Emergency Alert System For Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Sites

The Indiana Department of Health said it saw an increase in COVID-19 vaccination walk-ins at the mass clinic in Gary after using a public alert.
Screenshot of public alert
The Indiana Department of Health said it saw an increase in COVID-19 vaccination walk-ins at the mass clinic in Gary after using a public alert.

Indiana is using its emergency alert system to urge people to visit its mass COVID-19 vaccination sites.

Hoosiers in central Indiana got the alert on their phones Tuesday that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway vaccine clinic is open to walk-ins through Thursday. And it’s offering both Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

The Indiana Department of Health said it used a similar alert last week for its mass vaccination site in Gary and generated an increase in walk-ins.

The state agency said it made the decision to utilize the public alert system in consultation with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Contact reporter Brandon at  bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Brandon Smith has covered the Statehouse for Indiana Public Broadcasting for more than a decade, spanning three governors and a dozen legislative sessions. He's also the host of Indiana Week in Review, a weekly political and policy discussion program seen and heard across the state.
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