(RiverStone Health Press Release)
BILLINGS - Appointments for the second week of the free, Yellowstone County community COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Cedar Hall at MetraPark are now available online. Clinics are being held on:
- Tuesday, February 23, 1 to 4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 24, 8–11:30 a.m. AND 1–4:30 p.m.
To schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, go to mtreadyclinic.org and click on the blue button that says: Find a Clinic. Scrolling down, you should see information on each of next week’s clinics scheduled at Cedar Hall. If you don’t see the clinics listed, type “Metra” into the location search. Using an internet browser like Google Chrome or Firefox to access the appointments is best.
The online form has space for insurance information, which there is no need to complete. All COVID-19 vaccinations given at Cedar Hall are free of charge and no insurance is required.
Beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 22, appointments for the week’s clinics also will be available by calling 406.651.6596. Appointment times are being saved for people without the ability to schedule an appointment online.
Appointments are available to Yellowstone County residents who meet Montana’s criteria for the 1A or 1B priority group. This includes healthcare workers, first responders, people age 70 or older, people age 16 to 69 with a serious health condition that puts them at high risk of severe COVID-19 illness, Native Americans and other people of color who may be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness.
The Cedar Hall centralized community clinic is the combined effort of Yellowstone County Unified Health Command partners. Yellowstone County has provided the Cedar Hall building on the southwest end of the MetraPark midway as the clinic site. RiverStone Health, St. Vincent Healthcare and Billings Clinic are staffing the vaccination clinics.
Here’s what to expect at the clinics:
- Blue signs inside the MetraPark entrance at Fourth Avenue North direct you to Cedar Hall on the midway.
- Parking is available near Cedar Hall. You need to stay in your vehicle until five minutes before your appointment time to avoid crowding in Cedar Hall.
- Masks are required in Cedar Hall.
- After receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, there is a 15 minute observation time or possibly 30 minutes if you have a history of certain allergic reactions.
- You will get an appointment for your second vaccine dose before leaving the building.
Weekly centralized community clinics at Cedar Hall at MetraPark will be ongoing and appointment availability announced on a weekly basis when scheduling is available.
For the week February 22, Billings Clinic will continue providing first doses of COVID-19 vaccine in community clinics on its campus. Starting the week of March 1, Billings Clinic will discontinue its first-dose community clinics.
Billings Clinic will be administering vaccine on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (February 24, 25, 26 and 27). For an appointment call 406.435.5744. Telephone scheduling for new vaccination appointments is available Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to noon or until appointments are filled. If you are a Billings Clinic patient, you can schedule an appointment through PatientConnect at www.billingsclinic.com/patientconnect. [billingsclinic.com] Although the vaccine itself is free of charge, Billings Clinic will bill an administration fee to insurance. Individuals without insurance won’t be billed.
People who received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Billings Clinic, RiverStone Health or St. Vincent Healthcare will get their second dose from the same provider.
No walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations are being given. UHC healthcare providers do not have a waiting list for vaccination appointments and ask for patience as they work to get vaccine quickly and safely distributed.
Individuals who have submitted a St. Vincent Vaccine Notification Sign Up form will be contacted when an appointment is available. There is no need to fill out another form and your vaccine will be scheduled at the MetraPark Cedar Hall location.
Please wait to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if you have received any other vaccinations 14 days prior. After being vaccinated for COVID-19, do not receive any other vaccines for 14 days. Individuals who have received convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibody treatment should defer COVID-19 vaccination for at least 90 days.
For more information about the COVID-19 vaccines, log on to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html [cdc.gov]