An airport in California this week became the latest unique venue to offer COVID-19 vaccines, offering people the chance to get the jab while traveling.
The Fly Well Clinic, located post-security at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, will offer the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to travelers, NBC4 News reported. Travelers can schedule an appointment or walk in.
In addition to vaccines, the clinic offers urgent care, telehealth consultations, aromatherapy with essential oils, and even a free virtual reality experience to reduce travel-related stress, according to the airport.
And for those who need to get tested before traveling, the airport has a rapid COVID-19 testing clinic located pre-security so anyone can access it.
“It’s so important that people get vaccinated against this deadly virus, and the Fly Well Clinic and the Rapid Testing Clinic are important new resources for helping us reach out to the community in a number of ways to ensure everyone receives care when and where they need it, including vaccinations,” Marcy Brown, the senior vice president and chief hospital operations officer of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, which is running the clinic, said in a statement. “With everyone over the age of 16 [eligible] to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, Hoag is working to continuously expand access and reach people in a variety of ways – whether that’s at the local senior centers or before your flight to visit a loved one.”
Barry Rondinella, the director of the airport, said the partnership will “ensure that our guests feel safe and healthy” as they take to the skies again.
The John Wayne Airport isn’t the only airport to offer COVID-19 vaccines. Next month, Alaska will begin vaccinating tourists in the state’s major airports; and several pop-up vaccine clinics have opened, including one at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York last month, serving airport employees.
Other unique vaccination venues have included New York City’s American Museum of Natural History and several iconic sports stadiums.
The efforts come as Americans have been flying in record numbers recently, surpassing 1 million travelers every day for more than two months, according to the TSA’s checkpoint travel numbers. This month, passenger traffic has topped 1.7 million people on three separate days.
It also comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully vaccinated Americans can travel at low risk to themselves.
