‘It really was a beautiful moment:’ Music provides respite at COVID-19 vaccination clinic

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    ROCK ISLAND, Illinois (Quad-City Times) — The people gathered Wednesday inside the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Milan’s Camden Centre fell almost completely silent when Sabrina Tabby first drew a bow across the strings of her violin.

“It really was a beautiful moment,” Medical Reserve Corps volunteer Elizabeth McLaughlin said while on a break from administering vaccines. “Let’s face it, people can be nervous when they go for things like a vaccine — especially since we’re in a pandemic.

“The music started and there was a peaceful feeling that went through the room. People in the waiting area loved it. So did the (Illinois National Guard) soldiers. I know a few them asked the violinist to play ‘Devil Went Down to Georgia.’ It was fun and just beautiful.”

Philip and Cindy Koehler of Rock Island were among those who scheduled their vaccination for Wednesday in order to enjoy the debut of Vaccine Variations, a music program started by the Rock Island Health Department and the Quad-City Symphony Orchestra.

The Koehlers were among the people Rock Island County Health Department COO Janet Hill wanted to reach. She hit on the idea for Vaccine Variations after she saw a viral video on social media.

“To be honest, I stole this idea after I saw the famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma playing at a vaccination clinic. I love live music, and it has been so long for so many of us since we’ve shared live music,” Hill said. “I have a friend at Quad-City Arts and brought up the idea, and it all came together very quickly.”

Hill found Tabby’s hourlong volunteer performance moving.

“I teared up. It was very emotional for me. COVID has taken so much from all of us,” Hill said. “It was a symbolic moment for some of us. This is the place where people can take at least some control in this pandemic. And the live music just made it even more clear we share this effort. We’re in this together.”

Vaccinations in the Q-C
Traffic at the Camden Centre was light Wednesday, one day after the CDC declared a pause in administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The vaccine could be tied to six known blood-clotting incidents.

Hill said she was certain the CDC’s announcement and Wednesday’s lack of patients were not related.

“I think people understand it was six people and 6.8 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been administered,” Hill said. “No one should minimize a person died and other people were hurt. No one should just say that is inconsequential.”

Hill said she thought some of the lower numbers at the Camden Centre clinic had more to do with “a lag in messaging.”

“For months we have told people there is limited vaccine and to be patient,” Hill said. “And now we’re telling people everyone 16 and older can be vaccinated. I think people need time to adjust.”

The Genesis vaccination site is the former Dick’s Sporting Goods location at 5250 Elmore Ave., Davenport. First-dose Pfizer vaccine appointments are now available Tuesdays and Thursdays, with evening hours.

New online scheduling make it easy to get your COVID-19 vaccine to help end the pandemic. All available appointments can be found and reserved at genesishealth.com/vaccine.

Pfizer vaccine will be administered at the clinic, and individuals 16 years of age and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. A second-dose clinic will be held at the same location the weekend of May 7-9. Recipients of the vaccine will be contacted approximately five days before their second dose is due to schedule their second dose appointment.

Vaccination appointments must be made in advance online.

Those interested can go to hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine-consent and select the event at Gordmans.
To schedule an appointment for Friday, April 16 between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., individuals should visit hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine-consent?event=261e5a6a-7d34-44db-9e87-bae4116f9106.
To schedule an appointment for Saturday, April 17 between 8 a.m. and noon, individuals should visit hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine-consent?event=4c902b1e-a57f-479b-b60f-3106f5e21c5c.
To schedule an appointment for Saturday, April 17 between noon and 4 p.m., individuals should visit hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine-consent?event=cd97eff4-9974-45d1-8b81-e2da8f8e5492.
To schedule an appointment on Sunday, April 18 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., individuals should visit hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine-consent?event=5f0d7223-0c06-4699-b10c-20857f8e7bc1.

The Rock Island County Health Department reported 41 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, raising the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 13,901. A total of 311 deaths have been linked to the virus.

The positivity rate in Rock Island is 4.8%.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 91 new COVID-19 cases in Scott County Wednesday, putting the total number of cases during the pandemic at 20,213. A total of 234 deaths are COVID-19-related.

Local hospitalization numbers improved Wednesday, as Genesis Health System reported an unspecified number of discharges lowered that patient count to 32 patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms — one day after reporting 48 patients.

UnityPoint Health-Trinity reported 28 COVID-19 hospitalizations — one day after reporting a patient count of 32. The test-positivity rate at Trinity, however, remained high at 16.92%.

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