A church in Florida that lost six members to Covid-19 in just 10 days has transformed into a mass vaccination clinic.
All of the congregants at Impact Church in Jacksonville who died were unvaccinated, including four worshippers who were under the age of 35.
Senior pastor George Davis said they held a vaccine event on Sunday in partnership with health officials and the University of Florida Health which vaccinated 269 people.
It came after previous effort at the church to vaccinate members in March saw around 800 worshipers get the jab.
Mr Davis told USA Today the 10 total deaths among their 6,000 members had been “ripping our hearts out”.
“Even those who didn’t know them, just to know that they’re part of the church community, has made it tough for all of us,” Mr Davis said.
Concerns among church members about the safety of the vaccine were eased after they were able to speak with health workers, Mr Davis said.
The church had stepped up to offer vaccination services because some people were more comfortable with the church than receiving the jab from the government, he said.
“I think we so politicised it and made it such a polarizing subject that we’re not getting much progress," he told USA Today.
“My position is, within a religious community, I actually believe the vaccination is a part of the work of God.”
Florida has seen an explosion in Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations in recent days.
As of Wednesday, the state accounted for 18 per cent of new cases in the US, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
Intensive care units are being overrun, with a 24.6 per cent increase in hospitalisations.
In Brevard County, first responders are encouraging people to use 911 emergency services sparingly as officials struggle to cope with the Covid-19 surge.
