CRMC holds mass vaccination clinic for Tier 2 patients
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
700 patients of Capital Region Medical Center received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Friday.
Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City, MO hosted a mass vaccination clinic Friday that will continue on Saturday. The hospital has 1400 patients of the hospital that are a part of Tier 2 registered to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
The state's vaccination rollout plan made the population in Tier 2 eligible to receive a vaccine Monday. Tier 2 includes people over the age of 65 and those with medical conditions that make them a high risk to COVID-19.
Friday's 700 patients received the Pfizer vaccine. Patients in Tier 2 with doctors affiliated with CRMC were able to receive the vaccine at the Capital West Christian Church Event Center located on Fairgrounds Road.
The event space was turned into a mass vaccination clinic with chairs spaced 6 feet apart. Six CRMC nurses were on staff administering the vaccine to patients, Cole County EMS volunteered at the event as well, and CRMC's Director of Pharmacy, Dr. Denis Hamilton was supervising the temperature and distribution of the vaccine.
Patients 65 and older attended the event, many said they were happy to receive the vaccine as it brought them closer to finally seeing their families again. Melinda Bernard, said she hasn't seen her daughters in over a year because of the virus, and she’s excited this vaccine will bring her a step closer to finally being reunited.
“I’m so excited to have it and I’m so happy to be here. I can finally go see my family, I’m just so excited, I can’t wait. It’s just been very very hard, missed out on a lot of things with family and even holidays.”, said Bernard.
Bernard like many other patients said the process was easy and simple, and they didn't even feel the shot.
"It went very smoothly, I didn't wait at all, everybody was courteous and very thoughtful everything was explained to me in detail and we were also given a lot of good written information. It didn't hurt, it didn't hurt at all and I feel very confident now.", said Jennifer Urich, a CRMC patient.
Patients will return within 21 days after receiving their first dose at the Capital West Christian Event Center to receive their second dose. CRMC will continue this event Saturday where another 700 people of Tier 2 are scheduled to receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
