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Sites in Suffolk and Franklin will be among those in the Virginia Department of Health’s Eastern Region that will be hosting mobile vaccination clinics beginning Nov. 3. 

The clinics will provide free COVID-19 vaccines in a series of community sites, primarily in rural and underserved areas where the state health department says access can be a challenge. 

No appointments are needed, and the mobile clinics will offer the Moderna, Pfizer BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and they will offer vaccinations for those ages 5 to 11 pending full approval of an emergency use authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for that age group.

“This mobile asset is a great addition to the cadre of opportunities currently available in the region in addition to the Military Circle Mall, our neighborhood pharmacies, and local providers,” said Dr. Parham Jaberi, chief deputy commissioner for VDH and acting director for Norfolk and Portsmouth health districts. 

The dates and times for the series of mobile clinics this week are: 

• Nov. 4, 1 to 6:30 p.m., 920 Armory Drive, Franklin (in the parking lot near Paul D. Camp Community College)
• Nov. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Beech Grove United Methodist Church, 4251 Driver Lane, Suffolk

Dr. Billie Blair-Taylor, acting director for the Western Tidewater Health District, which includes Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight County and Southampton County, said the mobile sites will be more convenient for residents who live outside metro areas and farther from the state-supported community vaccination center at Military Circle Mall in Norfolk. 

“It’s about taking the vaccine to our residents, ensuring access, removing barriers, and making it as convenient as possible for our community members to get vaccinated,” Blair-Taylor said in a statement. “It’s so easy to stop by one of the clinics while you are already out and about.”

The state health department will make weekly announcements to let residents know about upcoming mobile vaccination clinics throughout the region. 

To find vaccination sites, go to vaccinate.virginia.gov or vaccinefinder.org.