Special to the American Press

The new Ochsner Christus Covid vaccine clinic will open Thursday, Feb. 11. Anyone meeting current Louisiana Department of Health criteria can make an appointment.

As per LDH guidelines, the vaccine rollout has expanded to people age 65 and over, law enforcement and other first responders, and state and local essential COVID-19 emergency response personnel. A full list of eligibility criteria can be found online at https://ldh.la.gov/covidvaccine/. Additionally, those who are eligible for a vaccine appointment can find a full list of providers at covidvaccine.la.gov.

The Ochsner Christus COVID vaccine clinic is located at Ochsner Christus Health Center, 4150 Nelson Road, inside Building C, Suite 11.

Scheduling for new first dose appointments is now open in limited quantities, on a first-come, first-served basis. MyOchsner users can quickly check availability and schedule their vaccinations online via MyOchsner or using the MyOchsner (MyChart) app. You don’t need to be an existing Ochsner patient to have a MyOchsner account and sign-up is available at my.Ochsner.org.

With call volumes higher than normal, patients are encouraged to use MyOchsner. When answering ‘Which locations work for you?’ in the scheduling window, patients should select “COVID LNRC HEMONC” as the location. Anyone in the Lake Charles area meeting the current vaccine criteria can also call 1-844-888-2772 for an appointment.

Vaccines are given by appointment only. Due to the quick expiration of a thawed vaccine, an exact number of patients will be booked each day.

Patients are required to get their second dose 21 days after their first dose. As per LDH guidance, second dose appointments will be confirmed at the time of the first dose and everyone must return to the same location to receive their second dose.

The vaccine clinic will open by appointment from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., on Feb. 11-12. The clinic schedule for the following weeks will be based on available vaccine supply. As vaccine supply changes from week to week, we encourage all community members to continue checking Ochsner.org/vaccine for the latest information.

For information about healthcare services at an Ochsner CHRISTUS Health Center, or to schedule an appointment, call 337-656-7876.