HAMPTON, Va. — On Friday, Sentara Healthcare partnered with the Peninsula Islamic Community Center to give COVID-19 vaccines to about 100 Muslim community members in Hampton.
Naved Jafri, the President of the center says their community sometimes has trouble with access to healthcare and at Friday's clinic, the members' second-dose vaccines were due during Ramadan.
Some worried receiving a vaccine during the fasting period is considered breaking fast. Sentara was happy to bring the doses to them during the evening, instead.
Jafri said about 70 people wouldn't have been able to get the shot otherwise, "because they felt like it would invalidate their fast. And so they took advantage of that opportunity."
"Everyone came together as a community, for the needs of the community. Not only within reference to the need of the vaccine, but for their spiritual needs as well," said Dr. Jordan Asher, Chief Physician Executive at Sentara Healthcare.
Anyone who missed this can still schedule an appointment for a daytime second-dose clinic at the Hampton Convention Center.