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JAMESTOWN – At the day’s end 700 people will be vaccinated with the first dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 shot following a clinic at SUNY JCC on Tuesday.
The mass vaccination kicked off just after 9 a.m., with residents registering for an appointment online last week. At that time, the hundreds of appointment slots filled up in just hours.
Several dozen lined up outside the school’s gym awaiting the shot, including Cattaraugus resident Karen Keuther who says she is getting vaccinated to protect her family.
“I have a husband who is a brittle diabetic, so he is very suspectable to things, he is also getting his shot,” said Keuther. “I also have a 90-year-old mother-in-law and mother, so to be around them and other older people you want to make sure you are not giving it to somebody else.”
In 28-days Keuther will be back to get her second dose of the shot.
Natalie Whiteman, Chautauqua County Health Department’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, says over 10 years of planning and practice has gone in to hosting a vaccination of this size, which she says in the end allows the process to go smoothly.
“We ask them as they are entering the hall to take their coat off, get their arm exposed and get ready,” said Whiteman. “They are going to sit down in the chair, the nurse goes over some brief medical information with them just to make sure it is safe for them to get the vaccine, once we determine that the nurse is going to give them the shot and the data processor will put the information into the computer, it is that simple.”
This was not the first clinic held at the college, previously the Health Department hosted three other vaccination events in the gymnasium.
In the next few days county health officials expect to receive another “big” shipment of vaccines, with appointments posted online at ChqGov.com.
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