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LEE COUNTY, Florida – Veterans have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Southwest Florida since late December. The AV called to set up appointments on a limited basis.
The Lee County VA Healthcare Center hosted a mass vaccination for veterans for the first time on Saturday. NBC2 was one of the first in the country to see how the VA offers mass vaccinations to those who have served our country.
From the moment the vets get out of their cars to the moment they get shot, they said it was like clockwork.
“It was really wonderful,” said Marine veteran John Smail. “They were really fluid, very organized.”
The VA called 1,300 veterans aged 75 and over to schedule appointments on Saturday. Veterans are ranked in order of priority according to their state of health.
Once arrived and checked in, they were sent in a color coded capsule. In this capsule, nurses and doctors were ready to use pre-filled syringes with Moderna vaccine to save time.
Everyone should wait 15 minutes to make sure they don’t experience any side effects after receiving the vaccine.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever seen,” said Robin Szymanski of Fort Myers.
Many veterans and their families were thrilled to get the first layer of protection against the virus that has claimed more than 2 million people worldwide. More importantly, they are delighted that the navigation is smooth.
“If this were happening across the country, everyone would be vaccinated within a month,” Smail said.
The process was so simple that they want the VA to help public vaccination sites.
“I want them to come to Charlotte County and organize everything there,” Szymanski said. “I’m going to have coffee and donuts.”
It did not happen overnight. Dozens of VA staff have already worked for hours.
“They looked at the flow, they looked at the planning,” said Jonathan Benoit, associate director of the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System. “We have provided more resources today than needed, which is always a good thing when you have something like that.”
The challenge now: in four weeks, they have to start over.
“We will bring back the 1,000 veterans that we will vaccinate today in four weeks for the second part of the vaccine,” said Benoit.
The VA plans to do these mass vaccination clinics as often as possible, but it all depends on the vaccine supply.
If you’re a veteran and haven’t received a call to get your shot, VA officials are urging you to be patient.
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