Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment has announced that its flagship Uncasville, Connecticut based Mohegan Sun property has become the site of a large-scale COVID-19 community vaccination centre.
In a continued effort to meet public health needs relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, the Mohegan Tribe, and Yale New Haven Health System opened the clinic late last week.
“The Mohegan Tribe has a long-held philosophy of cooperation and working together with our neighbours, and throughout this pandemic we have practiced those values each and every day,” explained James Gessner, chairman of the Mohegan Tribe.
“Whether it meant temporarily shutting down operations entirely, installing new state-of-the-art safety technology, distributing PPE to healthcare partners, or helping provide community COVID testing, Mohegan is working hard to help Connecticut manage this crisis.
“Now, the next step in that work will be serving as a hub in southeastern Connecticut for the state’s vaccination efforts. We are proud to continue to help serve our community, and eager to help Connecticut get as many state residents vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
Located at Mohegan Sun’s Earth Expo and Convention Center, the site, which debuted on Friday 19 February, will operate on an appointment-only basis, weather permitting.
Under the current phase of Connecticut’s vaccination program, individuals aged 65 and over are eligible to be vaccinated, and will soon expand to include more eligible groups
“This latest mass vaccination site shows the coordinated effort our state is making with our tribal partners, and our partners in healthcare,” Lamont said.
“The Mohegan Tribe has taken incredible steps throughout the pandemic to keep its members and residents safe through standing up testing sites, the distribution of PPE, and coordination with the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
“We will get through this pandemic by working together, especially in vaccine distribution, and that’s exactly what this site represents.”
On the first day of operations, the clinic is said to have served up to 300 Connecticut residents, with it possible to increase vaccine distribution based on availability.
“We are excited to provide more COVID-19 vaccinations to the residents in southeastern Connecticut,” Patrick Green, president and CEO of L+M Healthcare, added.
“The Mohegan Sun community vaccine site is yet another extension of the remarkable partnership between our organisations to prioritise the health and wellness of the communities we serve.
“Our teams have been working around the clock to streamline the vaccination process to accommodate as many people as we can. It is a privilege to be in a position where we can open another community vaccination site along with our Mohegan colleagues.”
