Campus News

UK Vaccine Clinic: It’s Important for People to Follow Scheduled Appointments, Take Precautions

photo of teacher Taylor Chastain receiving vaccine from Tamyah Pipkin
Taylor Chastain, a teacher at Sandersville Elementary in Lexington, receives the COVID-19 vaccine from Tamyah Pipkin at Kroger Field on the University of Kentucky campus Jan. 19, 2021. Mark Cornelison | UK Photo.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 15, 2021) As the Lexington region continues to experience days of potentially inclement weather, it is critical that those receiving the COVID-19 vaccine at UK’s Kroger Field take extra precautions and also follow all the procedures regarding appointment schedules, officials said Monday.

Specifically, University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare officials said that people should only show up at the clinic if they have an appointment for a vaccine at Kroger Field. Further, it is critical that they only arrive at the clinic on the day and check-in time of their appointment. Walk-in appointments will not be accommodated, nor will people coming on a day they are not scheduled.

“We know the level of anxiety and anticipation that exists about the virus and the hope that vaccines represent,” said Dr. Ashley Montgomery-Yates, UK HealthCare’s assistant chief medical officer for inpatient service and one of the project leads for the vaccine clinic. “But the quickest way to vaccinate the most people in our community is to follow the rules and procedures that have been established.”

Dr. Philip Almeter, chief pharmacist at UK HealthCare and a project lead at the clinic, said it takes hours early each morning for a pharmacy team to prepare doses for each day at the clinic. The number of doses match the number of people scheduled in advance for that given day.

“Given the refrigeration and storage needs of the vaccines, we don’t prepare extra doses each day. We prepare what is necessary for those who are scheduled,” Almeter said. “It is critical that people show up on the day they are scheduled at the appropriate check-in time. We can’t take walk-ins. And people who are scheduled late in the week can’t come earlier or on another day.”

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require a first shot and a booster shot. They also must be used within days of being taken out of refrigeration. With bitterly cold and inclement weather forecast for this week, UK Police Chief Joe Monroe, who helps manage clinic operations, said it is imperative that patients and others take precautions to stay safe when coming for an appointment. Some tips to follow include:

  • Dress warmly for the frigidly cold temperatures. 
  • You must have an appointment to get a vaccination.
  • If you arrive early, please do not get out of your vehicle to get in line sooner than 10 minutes prior to your appointed check-in time.
  • You will not lose your place in line.
  • If everyone follows this protocol, officials can help ensure that the check- in lines are kept shorter and the time outdoors will be reduced, making everyone safer during the process.
  • UK facilities officials are working around the clock during inclement weather to keep roads around campus — and the Kroger Field parking lot — safe.
  • If weather conditions require a closure of the clinic for the day or a change in schedule, patients will be notified directly as well as the media.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.