St. Luke’s Health Teams Up with Rice University for Vaccination EffortsHeading

HOUSTON (March 8, 2021) – St. Luke's Health announced today that it is partnering with Rice University to administer vaccines to the most vulnerable populations, including healthcare workers, seniors, underserved communities, and school and child care center/adult care center personnel.

St. Luke's Health will open the new vaccination site at the historic Rice Stadium on March 15 through a partnership with Rice University. Vaccinations are by appointment only, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of July. Vaccine clinic hours are subject to change based upon vaccine availability. Located adjacent to Metro Red Line light rail corridor and near numerous Metro bus lines stops within walking distance, the new vaccine site is easily accessible and large enough to support a large-scale vaccination effort.

"We are honored and proud to partner with such a historic institution to continue to vaccinate our most vulnerable populations," said Doug Lawson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, St. Luke's Health, and Senior Vice President of Operations, Texas Division, CommonSpirit Health. "The iconic Rice Stadium is large and functional and conducive to an efficient clinic operation. We are looking forward to collaborating with the leadership at Rice University to continue to vaccinate our communities as quickly and safely as possible."

"We're pleased to provide Rice Stadium as a vaccination clinic site for Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center," said Kevin Kirby, Rice's vice president for administration. "We consider Baylor St. Luke's and all of the other institutions in the Texas Medical Center our partners and neighbors, and this is one way we can contribute to each other's missions. We're especially pleased that this clinic will focus on vaccinating underserved populations in our city as part of our commitment to the Houston community. "

St. Luke's Health is prioritizing individuals who meet the state's criteria for distribution at all its vaccine sites, including adults ages 65 and older, individuals with chronic conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID‑19 illness, and people who work in school and child care/adult care operations. St. Luke's Health is proactively reaching out to area schools/districts and care centers to develop plans for vaccinating eligible staff.

The Rice Stadium vaccine clinic, located at 2200 University Blvd. (South Stadium Entrance), is not a drive-through clinic and is by appointment only. Individuals who qualify for the current distribution phases and are interested in receiving the vaccine must fill out an online form at stlukeshealth.org/CovidVaccine to be placed on the waitlist for future vaccine appointments. Individuals without Internet access can register for the waiting list by calling 281-407-8137. It is required that all visitors wear a face covering and maintain a physical distance while on campus and within the vaccination clinic.

To date, St. Luke's Health facilities have administered more than 100,000 doses of the vaccine to individuals who meet the state's guidelines for distribution. Vaccine supply remains limited, so we urge the community to be patient and continue to follow CDC guidelines for the pandemic. Vaccines are just one tool in our toolkit to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please remember to wash your hands regularly, always wear face coverings in public, and follow social distancing guidelines and government quarantine directives in your area.

For more information or to be added to the waiting list, visit stlukeshealth.org/CovidVaccine.

About St. Luke's Health – Texas Division
St. Luke's Health is a fully-integrated network that provides care to the communities in Greater Houston, Southeast Texas, and the Brazos Valley through 16 acute care hospitals and over 270 access points including numerous urgent care centers, freestanding emergency departments, and clinics conveniently located across the region. With a team of 11,000 employees and caregivers and more than 5,000 physicians, St. Luke's Health is dedicated to a mission of enhancing community health through high-quality, cost-effective care. A joint venture with Baylor College of Medicine, St. Luke's Health operates Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center, a leading academic health center with quaternary care and advanced specialists. St. Luke's Health is part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. Learn more at StLukesHealth.org.

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