Increasing the COVID-19 vaccination rates requires addressing multiple barriers. One of those barriers is access. How can we create more opportunities to get the vaccine when and where it is convenient for individuals? 
Aspirus Health in Wausau addressed this barrier in summer 2021 by bringing the vaccine to a very popular event – Concerts on the Square. Hundreds of people attend this weekly seasonal outdoor event. Aspirus worked with the event planners and with AMI (a contracted agency to provide COVID-19 vaccines in the region) to promote and offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine. On-site staff also helped individuals schedule an appointment for the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
Many people such as Phil Wanta decided to get the vaccine because of the convenience. “I recently got a job where I needed to have the vaccine or wear a mask,” said Wanta. “So, I figured I’d take advantage of the opportunity to get it done here.”
Over the course of the summer – when the highly contagious Delta variant began to surge across the country -- 64 individuals took advantage of the concert opportunity to protect themselves from the harmful consequences of COVID-19.