Marshallese bring children to drive-through vaccination clinic

Pharmacist Victoria Hennessey, owner of Community Pharmacy, (right) administers a covid-19 vaccine to Linson Kablo, 12, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. 
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Pharmacist Victoria Hennessey, owner of Community Pharmacy, (right) administers a covid-19 vaccine to Linson Kablo, 12, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

SPRINGDALE -- Tenna Chee, 12, turned her head, shut her eyes and, at the last minute, covered those eyes with her hand. Pharmacist Victoria Hennessey opened the passenger door of a gray car and gave Tenna her first vaccine against covid-19.

Tenna's precautions worked. Hennessey had to tell her to open her eyes because the shot was over.

Hennessey, owner of Community Pharmacy on Emma Avenue, worked with Albuis Latior to organize for the Marshallese community a drive-through vaccination clinic Friday in the parking lot of First Church, Springdale, a United Methodist congregation.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on May 11 announced children age 12 and older were cleared to receive the vaccine.

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Latior last week surveyed about 70 households in his east Springdale neighborhood, he noted in a Facebook post. He said 96% of the homes had children 12 and older who were eligible for the vaccine and that 99% of those children had not received a vaccine.

Latior said his community members did not know the teenagers were eligible for the vaccine, and they didn't know it was free. He also found appointments full at other vaccine clinics, and work schedules also made it hard for families to go to the clinics, he said.

So Latior organized this drive-through clinic. Those wanting vaccinations for their children picked up the forms from a table under a shade tree, then returned to their cars and their air conditioning. Hennessey, two pharmacy students and other volunteers gave the vaccine through car windows and doors.

"This is the first of many to come," Latior said of the clinic.

Latior also provided lunch made by members of the Marshallese community and backpacks full of school supplies for the kids.

Tenna, who was wearing a bright orange T-shirt from Hawaii, reported the shot didn't hurt much. "The covid is more scary," she said.

Her mother, Felisa Naiser, got her own vaccination later.

Nathaniel Kabua, 14; Maddox MacQuinn, 16; and Nathan Helies, 15, pulled up the sleeves of their T-shirts to proudly display their injection sites. Only Nathan got a bandage.

"I was the first one to get a shot," Nathaniel said. He said he got the shot so he wouldn't get covid.

Nathan said his mother woke the teenager up and brought him. "I had no other choice," he said.

Nathaniel noted his family became sick in June. The virus also affected him and his friends as they attended their Rogers schools virtually until January.

Maddox said he got the shot, so he could go back to school -- Heritage High School -- and even admitted he is ready.

Latior has been a strong leader and advocate for the community during the pandemic. He has raised money -- mostly through Facebook and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville -- for Marshallese people out of work due to the virus or quarantine. The money provided food baskets and helped pay their rent or car payments.

Hennessey last month was presented a Spirit of Springdale award for her work in organizing many other vaccination clinics. Mayor Doug Sprouse announced the award at the July 13 meeting of the City Council.

Latior credited "word of mouth" for getting the Marshallese to the clinic. He said he wanted to vaccinate 150 people. Hennessey said she brought 100 doses but had more at her pharmacy just a block away if more were needed.

Hennessey filled out the vaccination cards and told each person they needed to come to her pharmacy in three to six weeks to get the second dose. She said most people did follow through, especially after pharmacy staff called to remind.

Joseph William, 28, came to the clinic to get his girlfriend a shot but also got one himself.

William said he hadn't previously gotten the vaccine because he was concerned about it. He just didn't know much about it, he said.

"But now there's more at stake," he said. "I'm getting it for the community."

State Epidemiologist Jennifer Dillaha on Thursday announced the third death of a child, an 11-year-old girl in West Memphis. She said 45 children younger than 12 were hospitalized with covid-19, and 15 virus patients age 18 and younger were admitted to intensive care units. She said one of the patients had been fully vaccinated against covid-19, and more than half were ineligible to receive the vaccine because they are younger than 12.

Arkansas Children's Hospital had a total of 23 covid-19 patients Thursday at its hospitals in Little Rock and Springdale, up from 19 a day earlier and just short of the record 24 patients it had on July 27, spokeswoman Hilary DeMillo said.

Pharmacist Victoria Hennessey, owner of Community Pharmacy, (from left) administers a covid-19 vaccine to Tenna Chee, 12, of Springdale, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. 
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Pharmacist Victoria Hennessey, owner of Community Pharmacy, (from left) administers a covid-19 vaccine to Tenna Chee, 12, of Springdale, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Volunteer Jessica Lindsey carries backpacks to give away, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. 
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Volunteer Jessica Lindsey carries backpacks to give away, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Tenna Chee, 12, of Springdale (from left) and Francina Langidrik of Siloam Springs wait to receive their covid-19 vaccines, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. 
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Tenna Chee, 12, of Springdale (from left) and Francina Langidrik of Siloam Springs wait to receive their covid-19 vaccines, Friday, August 6, 2021 at a pop-up vaccination clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Springdale. Community Pharmacy of Springdale administered vaccines to the Marshallese community. Check out nwaonline.com/210807Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)

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