Healthy Connections and Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness to Host Pro Football Hall of Famer Cliff Harris on Oct. 12 to Encourage Covid-19 Vaccination
Healthy Connections Community Health Network and Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness will host Pro Football Hall of Famer, former Dallas Cowboy, and Arkansas native Cliff Harris on Tuesday, Oct. 12 to provide free vaccines and encourage vaccination against Covid-19.
The free vaccine event will take place all day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Healthy Connections clinic location at 3604 Central Ave., Suite D. Harris will visit from 3 to 4 p.m. to meet and greet community members who come by to receive their free COVID vaccine.
“It was important to me to get vaccinated to keep my friends and family safe,” said Harris, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year. “I hope others will join me in getting vaccinated for the people that count on them, and I look forward to meeting members of the community at Healthy Connections.”
Covid-19 vaccine (1st or 2nd dose) and flu vaccine will be available at no charge to patients. Walk-ins will be accepted, or patients can register for a specific appointment time by calling 888-710-8220.
“Vaccination is the free, easy, and safe way to protect yourself and those closest to you from Covid-19, which is why we’ve worked so hard to vaccinate our community,” said Tony Calandro, CEO at Healthy Connections. “We’re pleased to have Cliff Harris to promote awareness of the vaccine and the protection it offers all of us.”
“The best action we can take to keep our communities safe from Covid-19 is to get vaccinated,” said John Ryan, President and CEO, Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness. “Providing access to vaccines is a top priority of ours, and we’re grateful to have Cliff Harris with us to support these efforts and ensure a healthier community.”
Harris was born in Fayetteville and played at Hot Springs and Des Arc high schools. He played at Ouachita Baptist University before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys and was nicknamed “Captain Crash” by his teammates for his punishing hits and reckless pursuit of ball carriers. The Cowboys ranked in the top 10 in defense every year with him in the lineup.
He played in five Super Bowls, six Pro Bowls, and was named All-Pro four times. He retired in 1980.
Harris was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020 but had his enshrinement postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions. He’s also a member of the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor and a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Healthy Connections is a Mena-based Community Health Network with locations throughout southwest and central Arkansas. Since its founding as a home-visiting program in 1998, Healthy Connections has been able to provide much-needed health, dental, behavioral health, and social services to families of every lifestyle. Services include primary care/family medicine, specialty services including cardiology, podiatry, and women’s health, My Kids Pediatric Clinic, Evolve Behavioral Health Services and Medication Management, Health For Life Clinic, Healthy Families Arkansas Polk and Garland counties, and more. Learn more about Healthy Connections at www.healthy-connections.org.
Healthy Connections clinics are offering Monoclonal Antibody Treatment at all locations. Clinics are also offering regular Covid-19 testing (results same day), and Covid-19 vaccines for free. Learn more at www.gettestedfree.com.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Arkansas is going up very fast and the Delta variant is putting younger and healthier people in the hospital. This is a dangerous virus and it can cause serious health problems and even death.
The vaccine helps prevent you from getting Covid-19. Some people who are vaccinated do still get the virus, but they are much less likely to have serious complications or to be hospitalized. Almost all the people hospitalized in Arkansas right now with Covid-19 are unvaccinated.
There is a free, easy, and safe way to protect yourself from Covid-19. Right now, anyone who is 12 or older can get a Covid-19 vaccine at no cost to themselves.
Arkansas Medicaid covers the cost of the vaccine for Medicaid clients. You will be asked for your Medicaid card, but you will not be required to pay anything for the vaccine. Medicaid patients can also get FREE transportation to get vaccinated and the vaccine visit will not count against the 12 office visits you get each year.
Getting vaccinated is the best option to protect yourself from the virus.
Call Healthy Connections at 888-710-8220 to schedule your vaccination appointment.
If you need a ride to get vaccinated, Arkansas Medicaid provides clients non-emergency transportation by calling 888-987-1200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get vaccinated?
Healthy Connections Community Health Network clinics are offering the Covid-19 vaccine. Visit www.healthy-connections.org/locations to find a clinic near you. Or call 888-710-8220.
Why should I get the Covid-19 vaccine?
Rigorous studies have found the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to be safe and effective. Getting the vaccine will keep you healthy, and it represents the best option for returning to normal.
What are the side effects of Covid-19 vaccines?
Your arm may be sore, red or warm to touch after COVID-19 vaccine as with any vaccine. Fever, headache (a sign that your immune system is building up protection to COVID-19 disease), and muscle aches are common side effects of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
What about long-term side effects?
FDA and CDC are continuing to monitor for safety, to make sure even long-term side effects are identified. If a safety issue is detected, immediate action will take place to determine if the issue is related to the COVID-19 vaccine and determine the best course of action.
Do I need a second dose of Covid-19 vaccine and if so, when?
Yes. Healthy Connections is offering the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. The second dose is due no sooner than 28 days.
Who is recommended to receive a third dose?
CDC now recommends an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) for people who are moderate to severely immunocompromised because they are more at risk of serious, prolonged illness.
If I have had 2 doses of Covid-19 vaccine and have close contact with a positive case, do I need to quarantine?
suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:
• Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
• Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure
Fully vaccinated persons who do not quarantine should still watch for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure. If they experience symptoms, they should be clinically evaluated for COVID-19.
Also, vaccinated persons should continue to follow current guidance to protect themselves and others, including wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, avoiding poorly ventilated spaces, covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands often, following CDC travel guidance, and following any applicable workplace or school guidance, including guidance related to personal protective equipment use or SARS-CoV-2 testing.
Should I get the Covid-19 vaccine if I am pregnant?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) continue to recommend that the vaccine be available to pregnant individuals. There is no evidence that the vaccine can lead to loss of fertility. While fertility was not specifically studied in the clinical trials of the vaccine, no loss of fertility has been reported among trial participants or among the millions who have received the vaccines since their authorization, and no signs of infertility appeared in animal studies. Loss of fertility is scientifically unlikely.
Can I get the Covid-19 vaccine at the same time with flu vaccine or any other vaccine?
Yes, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines may be administered with routine vaccines simultaneously, on the same day, or at any interval.
Can the Covid-19 vaccine give someone with Covid-19 disease?
No, COVID-19 vaccines cannot give someone COVID-19 disease. They do not contain the virus that causes COVID-19.
In response to the Delta Variant of Covid-19 in our area, Healthy Connections is taking its testing and vaccination program on the road for three pop-up stops in August.
Non-profit Healthy Connections will offer Covid-19 testing and vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates and locations:
- Monday, August 2: Healthy Connections Malvern, 900 Martin Luther King Blvd., Malvern
- Tuesday, August 3: Healthy Connections Hot Springs Central, 3604 Central Ave., Hot Springs
- Wednesday, August 4: Healthy Connections De Queen, 1206 W. Collin Raye Dr., De Queen
At these events, Healthy Connections staff will collect insurance information from patients. But the result will be both services being offered at no cost to patients. The test is the “simple test” that does not require a deep penetration of the nostrils for testing. Results from this test will be available in 3 to 5 days.
Learn more about Healthy Connections and the Covid-19 testing and vaccination program at www.gettestedfree.com.
As of July 28, the Arkansas Department of Health is reporting more than 15,000 active cases and more than 1,000 hospitalizations in the state of Arkansas.
Healthy Connections Community Health Network clinics are also testing and giving vaccinations. In addition to the “free” test, clinics also offer the Covid-19 Rapid Test. This is done for $60 (cash or credit card only) and results are available in as little as 15 minutes. Insurance is not filed on rapid tests. The regular (free) test and Covid-19 vaccines are also available at clinic locations. Call 888-710-8220 for appointments.
Last summer, Healthy Connections took its testing pop-ups to communities across southwest and central Arkansas. More than 5,000 tests were done at these pop-up events.
The Healthy Connections Community Health Network includes the primary care/family medicine clinics of Healthy Connections, Healthy Connections Specialty, Evolve Behavioral Health and Medication Management, and Health For Life Clinic.
Healthy Connections clinics are open, safe, healthy, and here for the communities they serve. The Healthy Connections community health network is a federally qualified health center (FQHC). Healthy Connections and Evolve Behavioral Health both accept Medicaid, ARKids 1st, Medicare, and most private health insurance. There is also a sliding fee scale for patients without health insurance who qualify. Medicaid patients may be required to switch their primary care provider to Healthy Connections before they can be seen. Learn more about Healthy Connections at www.healthy-connections.org.
The Healthy Connections Community Health Network now has the Covid-19 vaccine. We will be distributing it based on the needs in the communities we serve. If you need to be vaccinated, please visit www.healthy-connections.org/vaccine. There you can join our community-based waitlist. When demand gets high enough, we will schedule vaccine appointments based on this waitlist.
Or you can call 888-710-8220 to either join the waitlist or get more information.
For the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff, the Healthy Connections Community Health Network will continue to require masks in accordance with current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Healthy Connections, Inc., and its CEO Tony Calandro were selected as finalists for the Nonprofit Organization of the Year awards.
Healthy Connections, Inc., and CEO Tony Calandro have been named finalists in the Arkansas Business 33rd Annual Business of the Year awards.
Healthy Connections, Inc., is a finalist for the Nonprofit Organization of the Year, while Calandro is a finalist for the Nonprofit Executive of the Year. The winners of each category will be revealed at the awards ceremony and published in a special supplement of Arkansas Business on March 3, 2021.
Finalists were selected by an outside panel of judges and coordinated by Arkansas Business. Thirty-two finalists are selected from across the state in seven categories. See the complete list of finalists at www.ArkansasBusiness.com/ABOY.
Healthy Connections is a Mena-based nonprofit community health network with clinic locations in Mena, Hot Springs, Little Rock, Malvern, Arkadelphia, Mount Ida, and De Queen. Since its founding as a home-visiting program in 1998, Healthy Connections has been able to provide much-needed health, dental, behavioral health, and social services to families of every lifestyle.
Over the past year, Healthy Connections took its services to more places than ever before. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Healthy Connections provided completely-free testing at stops in 10 different Arkansas counties, including some without clinic locations like Texarkana, Gurdon, and Nashville. These day-long events took place in blazing heat and driving rainstorms as employees braved the elements to ensure anyone who wanted to be tested could be tested.
The year also saw an expansion in services with the addition of the Health For Life Clinic and Evolve Behavioral Health and Medication Management. Health For Life Clinic, which provides addiction treatment and testing and treatment for HIV/AIDS patients in Little Rock, joined the community health network in February and has been among the busiest clinics in the network. Evolve brought individual, family, and group mental health therapy to patients across west and central Arkansas just before the pandemic took off.
Cars line up at the mass testing event held in Texarkana in July.
In January, Healthy Connections opened the Franklin Community Health Center in the parking lot of the old Franklin Elementary School in Little Rock. This neighborhood clinic location provided much-requested medical services in a location that was considered a medical desert. And when the pandemic hit, this clinic was at the heart of the Covid-19 testing program.
In May as stay-at-home orders were being issued throughout the state, Healthy Connections quickly expanded its telehealth program to make sure as many patients as possible could be seen from the comfort of their own home.
“We are honored to be recognized alongside the other nonprofit organizations in this category,” Calandro said. “This year has been like no other. Our employees have faced many challenges and consistently found ways to overcome them, ensuring that our patients continue to receive the highest level of care.”
In the Nonprofit Organization of the Year category, Healthy Connections joins Arkansas Research Alliance, Arkansas Immigrant Defense, Children’s Advocacy of Benton County, and The Venture Center as finalists. Healthy Connections was also selected as a finalist in 2018 and 2019.
Calandro joined Healthy Connections 10 years ago and has overseen growth from about 3,000 patients served to more than 23,000 last year.
“I am excited to be a finalist for this award, but know that it would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our Healthy Connections staff,” Calandro said. “My philosophy has always been to provide employees with the tools and resources they need to do their jobs then stand back and watch them succeed. This award is a reflection of the job they did throughout the past year.”
In the Nonprofit Executive of the Year category, Calandro is joined by Shannon Boshears of UA-Pulaski Technical College Foundation, Wayne Miller of The Venture Center, Christian O’Neal of the UA-Little Rock Foundation, and Fred Scarborough of the Arkansas Children’s Foundation.
Learn more about Healthy Connections at www.healthy-connections.org.
