Coastal Care Partners is working with local churches to administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Hitch Village Neighborhood residents ages 12 and older on Wednesday, May 19, beginning at 12PM at Second Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, 800 Colbert Street, Savannah. Pastor Ricardo Manuel of Second Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church and Scott Pierce, co-owner of Coastal Care Partners said that they have met with several area pastors who agree that it is important to make the vaccine more accessible to people throughout the community. 

“We have vaccinated almost 15,000 people in Chatham County, including Pastor Manuel and his wife. Pastor Manuel and a number of area pastors we’ve met with agree that it’s absolutely critical to make the vaccine more accessible to 

people who want it,” Pierce said. “On May 19, starting at 12:00, we’ll administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to Hitch Village Neighborhood residents ages 12 and older and no appointment is necessary. We’ll schedule them for the second vaccine dose on the 19th.”

According to Pierce, anyone under the age of 18 will need to have a parent or guardian’s signed permission.” He added that there is no cost to the person receiving the vaccine. “It’s like the flu vaccine. There’s no co-pay, no cost to the patient, because the government reimburses your insurance company. If you don’t have insurance, you’re still covered by the government for the COVID-19 vaccine.”

Pastor Manuel said he understands that some people have concerns about the vaccine, such as if it’s painful or has side effects. “I didn’t have any problems. My wife had a little pain, but it went away and she was fine,” he explained. Pastor Manuel said that he and Pastor Leonard Small of Litwell Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Thomas Williams of First African Baptist Church of East Savannah, Pastor Ronald Gregory of First Evergreen Baptist Church, and Pastor Ronald Hamilton of New Saint Luke AME will be reaching out to other pastors in other areas. 

Coastal Care Partners is Savannah’s only comprehensive, registered nurse-managed aging services company and has been actively involved in vaccination efforts at area schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations. For more information about Coastal Care Partners and their COVID-19 vaccination efforts, please call 912.598.6312.