The Oxford Police Department is providing a way for those without internet access to sign up for an appointment to get their COVID-19 vaccinations.

On Friday, OPD announced they had partnered with Mayor Robyn Tannehill and the department’s IT department to make it possible to provide internet access for anyone who needs to sign up for the vaccine.

The idea of providing accessibility to the public came about when Oxford police Chief Jeff McCutchen and Tannehill were on a phone call with the Tallahatchie Oxford Missionary Baptist Church Association a couple weeks ago. One of the items mentioned during the meeting were members not having reliable access to the internet to sign up for a vaccination appointment, and the phone number provided by the state was constantly busy.

“We were trying to come up with a way to serve our community,” McCutchen said. “We had a laptop available and we’ve got some external internet options at our office. … We’re always open and we’ve always got somebody available. We thought, what better way to serve the community than providing that resource so those that need to get that shot have the ability to sign up?”

To sign up, those currently eligible to receive their first or second dose of the coronavirus vaccine must go through the University of Mississippi’s vaccine scheduling website at covidvaccine.umc.edu, or call (877) 978-6453. Healthcare workers, people 65 and older or those 18 to 64 who have a pre-existing condition qualify to sign up for the vaccine.

A list of the pre-existing conditions is provided when signing up for an appointment through UMC’s website.

There is a laptop set up at the front counter at the OPD station, where the website is preloaded. Residents just have to start typing and it will direct them to the link. The station is open 24 hours a day and is located at 715 Molly Barr Road. The Oxford University Transit system has a bus stop located at OPD’s station as well.

Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccination site is a drive-thru location behind the National Guard Armory and Oxford Conference Center at 100 Ed Perry Blvd. However, Lafayette County residents are not restricted to that one site. If there are available appointments at other vaccination sites in the state, residents can sign up at those locations.

As of Feb. 1, there were 243,890 vaccinations administered in Mississippi, with 217,443 of them being first doses. Overall, 26,447 Mississippians have been fully vaccinated. In Lafayette County, there have been 5,360 residents vaccinated.