EFFINGHAM COUNTY —  Two churches in Effingham County will conduct the following COVID-19 vaccination events:

— 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 8 and Sept. 29 at St. John’s Lutheran Church at 301 N. Columbia Ave. in Rincon

— 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 22 and Oct. 13 at Jerusalem Lutheran Church at 2966 Ebenezer Road in Rincon.

The Pfizer and Janssen vaccines will be available at the events. The Pfizer vaccine is approved for those 12 and older, and requires two doses a few weeks apart. The Janssen vaccine by Johnson & Johnson is approved for those 18 and older and only requires one dose.

Only 32 percent of residents in Effingham County are fully vaccinated and the community transmission rate in the county is at an all-time high. Anyone who has not yet been vaccinated is urged to do so as soon as possible. The vaccine is free, regardless of insurance, and no appointment is necessary.

“From the Bible we read in the book of 3 John vers se 2 a prayer that the reader of the letter be as healthy in body as they are strong in spirit,” said Rev. Rick Johnson, pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church. “The spirit of our community has always been strong and our prayer in the here and now is that our Lord give us the strength and guidance to be present and help everyone in our community to do what it takes to remain healthy in body as well as mind and spirit in the teeth of this pandemic and be vaccinated.” 

For more information on COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccines, go to covid19.gachd.org.