Photo caption: A Wah-Zha-Zhe Health Center nurse administers the COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccinating event at the Osage Casinos Skyline Event Center in Tulsa on Feb. 21, 2021. CODY HAMMER/Osage News

The Osage Nation Health Services Wah-Zha-Zhe Health Center is now offering the COVID-19 vaccine to all Osage and Native American adults age 18 and older as of Feb. 25.

Also, as part of expanding the WZZHC vaccine opportunities, clinic staff will now be stationed at the Nation’s Civic Center in Pawhuska to administer the vaccine shot to individuals Monday-Fridays from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Civic Center is the Nation’s former Cultural Center building located at 1449 W. Main St.

In a Feb. 23 announcement on expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, the WZZHC said: “We have dropped the age criteria! Beginning Thursday (Feb. 25), we will be offering COVID-19 vaccinations to any Native person 18 years or older. We are trying to make it as convenient as possible for you, so you will not have to have an established health chart at our clinic before getting a COVID-19 vaccine from the WZZHC.”

In the meantime, the clinic also notes: “Our COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Clerks are proactively going through a list of all of our active patients 18+ who have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine and calling to see if you would like to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine shot. However, time is of the essence when it comes to getting vaccinated for COVID-19, so if you are willing and ready to get your COVID-19 vaccine shot now then you may reach out to us to get your COVID-19 vaccine appointment scheduled.”

News of the expanded COVID-19 eligibility expansion also comes after the WZZHC dropped the age eligibility starting with a Feb. 6 vaccine event at the Civic Center open to eligible clinic patients who are age 30 and older. As a result, several Osages and fellow Native Americans from near and far (in-state and out-of-state) posted on social media that they made the hour or hours-long drive trips to Pawhuska for the vaccine on that Saturday.

Now with the vaccine available to Osages and other Native Americans age 18-older, the WZZHC notes the following information for those interested in receiving the vaccine:

“If you are a Native (American) who is 18+ years old, you can get your vaccine in one of two ways. (1) You can call the WZZHC COVID-19 Vaccine hotline at (918) 287-0076 to schedule your vaccine for a day/time that works best for you. (2) If scheduling an appointment time for a specific date/time is not a convenient method for you, then PLEASE do not let that stop you from getting vaccinated! You can drop-in to get your vaccine anytime Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:45 am to 4:30 pm.”

Follow the “Wah-Zha-Zhe Health Center” on Facebook for updates on the COVID-19 vaccinations and other clinic services and information for patients.