Meridian Partners with Eastern Market for COVID-19 Vaccination Event During Holiday Markets

Food vouchers will be given to those who show proof of vaccination

DETROIT, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Meridian and Detroit Eastern Market are working together to provide COVID-19 vaccines to both Meridian members and the general public at the popular annual Holiday Markets event. All individuals, regardless if they receive the vaccine at the event or elsewhere, are eligible for a free $10 Eastern Market food voucher to help with holiday shopping and fight hunger in southeastern Michigan.

The event will be held on Sunday, Dec. 19, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., under Eastern Market Shed 2, at the corner of Adelaide and Markets streets. The Wayne Health Mobile Unit will be onsite administering walk-in COVID-19 vaccines and health screenings.

All three vaccine types will be available – Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson; 1st doses, 2nd doses, and booster shots will be offered for all individuals ages 5 and over. Signage at the market will direct individuals to the mobile unit site. No appointments necessary.

To qualify for the food voucher, an individual needs­­ to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. They can stop by the Meridian table to show their proof of vaccine and collect a food voucher.

“As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Michigan and with the state’s first confirmed case of the Omicron variant, Meridian is proud to connect local businesses to bring medical services right into the community,” Sean Kendall, Meridian Plan President and CEO for Michigan, said. “We’re also thrilled to provide free food vouchers to anyone who is vaccinated.”

Around 45 percent of the state remains unvaccinated, according to the most recent report released by the state. Unvaccinated people continue to make up the majority of those infected with COVID-19, including severe cases of the infection.

Meridian has been supporting Michigan residents since 1997 across its Medicaid, Medicare and Ambetter plans. Their efforts to address the social determinants of health reinforce their long-standing commitment to supporting the whole health of their communities, one person at a time.

About Meridian
Meridian in Michigan provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex medical needs primarily through Medicaid (MeridianHealth), Medicare Advantage (WellCare), Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MeridianComplete), Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (WellCare), and the Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter from Meridian). Meridian is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading multi-national healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. For more information about Meridian, please visit www.mhplan.com.

About Wayne Health
Wayne Health is a non-profit, multi-specialty physician practice group affiliated with Wayne State University School of Medicine. With nearly 400 physicians and advanced practice providers in 50 medical specialties, Wayne Health offers a full spectrum of care, from birth to end-of-life, for individuals and families throughout southeastern Michigan. Wayne Health multi-specialty clinics are conveniently located in Detroit, Dearborn, Southfield and Troy, with single-specialty clinics in Livonia (Psychiatry), Monroe (Dermatology) and Taylor (Ophthalmology). For more information, visit www.waynehealthcares.org.

About Eastern Market
Eastern Market Partnership is a 501©(3) nonprofit with an unwavering mission to enrich Detroit– nutritionally, culturally and economically. Eastern Market manages operations, develops programs, builds facilities, provides critical infrastructure, and collaborates with community partners to strengthen the Eastern Market District as the most inclusive, resilient, and robust regional food hub in the United States. Eastern Market works to fortify the food sector as a pillar of regional economic growth and to improve access to healthy, green, affordable, and fair food choices in Detroit and throughout Southeast Michigan.