One Day Only Sensory-Friendly Vaccine Clinic is Being Offered in Rochester, MN

Olmsted Medical Center is going to be offering something really cool for the third year in a row at the beginning of October. This is such a great idea and something that I hope other medical clinics around Minnesota will offer in the future if they don't already.

ALSO READ: The Oldest Festival in Minnesota is 165 Years Old

Cold and Flu Season Kicked Off Early in 2025

Cold and flu season seems to have kicked off early this year. It kind of makes sense with the colder weather that we had all of a sudden.

Junk is just going around a bit earlier than normal, and, as usual, it's important to get your flu and COVID shots to protect yourself and others from contracting a really serious version of these illnesses.

But for some people, getting vaccines is a really stressful experience.

Get our free mobile app

Getting a shot could stress people out for a variety of reasons. It could be a fear of needles, it could be a general unease of being at the doctor's office, or maybe you're someone who doesn't do well with a lot of stuff going on around you (and there can be a lot going on at a doctor's office).

Olmsted Medical Center Offering Sensory-Friendly Vaccine Clinic

Here comes OMC to the rescue! For the third year in a row, the Northwest Rochester OMC Clinic (5067 55 Street NW, Rochester, MN 55901) will be offering a sensory-friendly vaccine clinic. This is so smart!

They've partnered with RT Autism Awareness Foundation and The Autism Society of Minnesota to do this clinic again.

The clinic will include:

Extended appointment times

Private, sensory-friendly spaces

Specialized support tools and onsite experts

OMC writes that the event is "designed to support individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other sensory needs", giving them the opportunity to get the vaccines they need "in a comfortable, welcoming environment."

Appointments are required for the event, and I would imagine it'll fill up quickly. It's a one-day-only clinic that will be on Saturday, October 4th from 9 AM to 1 PM. To make an appointment, call OMC at 507-292-7102.

I'm not sure what the logistics look like for this event, but I hope they are able to extend this to be an all-day clinic or even a multi-day clinic in the future. I think there are a lot of people who could benefit from this!