Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.Photo: Josephine County Public Health/FacebookOregon health care workers stuck in a snowstorm withsoon-to-expire doses of the COVID-19 vaccinedecided to set up an “impromptu vaccine clinic” and inoculate the other stranded drivers.About 20 employees from the Josephine County Public Health office were on their way back froma COVID-19 vaccination eventin a rural part of the county when traffic on the highway came to a halt. The highway had been shut down due to the snow and a jackknifed tracktor-trailer, and with no idea when it would reopen, the six remainingModerna vaccine doses they had on hand would soon expire.Those doses were supposed to go to people in Grants Pass, another 30 miles away, but Michael Weber, the public health director, and his staff knew that they wouldn’t be able to get the doses to them in time. That’s when Weber came up with the idea to give them out to people stuck in their cars.“I decided to start going door-to-door, car-to-car, offering” the vaccine, Weber,told theWashington Post.Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.Josephine County Public Health/FacebookWeber stuck the vaccination paperwork in his coat, while another team member grabbed the bin with the vaccine doses, alcohol and gauze. Other staff members brought a container for the discarded needles and umbrellas for the wet snow. The ambulance that had been on-site at the vaccination event was stuck with them in traffic and was ready to go in the rare case that someone had an allergic reaction.As they went car-to-car, Weber and his team got mixed reactions to their offer.“We were a little nervous because not a lot of people in this part of the state are eager to get the vaccine at this point in time,” David Candelaria, a health officer, told thePost.“A lot” of cars turned them down, but the ones who wanted the vaccine were overjoyed at the opportunity.“We had one individual who was so happy, he took his shirt off and jumped out of the car,” WebertoldThe New York Times.Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.It took about 45 minutes, but the team found six people who were thrilled to get their first vaccine dose, including one Josephine County Sheriff’s Office employee who was supposed to get her dose at the vaccination event but got there too late.“It was meant to be for her,” Candelaria told thePost.RELATED VIDEO: Nurse in Queens Among First in U.S. to Receive COVID VaccineWeber said that their car-to-car vaccination effort was “one of the coolest operations” he ever worked on.“Honestly, once we knew we weren’t going to be back in town in time to use the vaccine, it was just the obvious choice,” he told theTimes. “Our No. 1 rule right now is nothing gets wasted.“As of Jan. 27, Oregon has administered 325,488 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine,according to the Centers for Disease Control, and nationwide, 20,687,970 people have received at least one vaccine dose. After a slow start to the distribution effort, vaccinations have picked up significantly in the last few weeks.President Joe Biden has vowed to give out 100 million dosesin his first 100 days in office, and is on track to meet or exceed that goal.
Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.Photo: Josephine County Public Health/Facebook
Oregon health care workers stuck in a snowstorm withsoon-to-expire doses of the COVID-19 vaccinedecided to set up an “impromptu vaccine clinic” and inoculate the other stranded drivers.About 20 employees from the Josephine County Public Health office were on their way back froma COVID-19 vaccination eventin a rural part of the county when traffic on the highway came to a halt. The highway had been shut down due to the snow and a jackknifed tracktor-trailer, and with no idea when it would reopen, the six remainingModerna vaccine doses they had on hand would soon expire.Those doses were supposed to go to people in Grants Pass, another 30 miles away, but Michael Weber, the public health director, and his staff knew that they wouldn’t be able to get the doses to them in time. That’s when Weber came up with the idea to give them out to people stuck in their cars.“I decided to start going door-to-door, car-to-car, offering” the vaccine, Weber,told theWashington Post.Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.Josephine County Public Health/FacebookWeber stuck the vaccination paperwork in his coat, while another team member grabbed the bin with the vaccine doses, alcohol and gauze. Other staff members brought a container for the discarded needles and umbrellas for the wet snow. The ambulance that had been on-site at the vaccination event was stuck with them in traffic and was ready to go in the rare case that someone had an allergic reaction.As they went car-to-car, Weber and his team got mixed reactions to their offer.“We were a little nervous because not a lot of people in this part of the state are eager to get the vaccine at this point in time,” David Candelaria, a health officer, told thePost.“A lot” of cars turned them down, but the ones who wanted the vaccine were overjoyed at the opportunity.“We had one individual who was so happy, he took his shirt off and jumped out of the car,” WebertoldThe New York Times.Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.It took about 45 minutes, but the team found six people who were thrilled to get their first vaccine dose, including one Josephine County Sheriff’s Office employee who was supposed to get her dose at the vaccination event but got there too late.“It was meant to be for her,” Candelaria told thePost.RELATED VIDEO: Nurse in Queens Among First in U.S. to Receive COVID VaccineWeber said that their car-to-car vaccination effort was “one of the coolest operations” he ever worked on.“Honestly, once we knew we weren’t going to be back in town in time to use the vaccine, it was just the obvious choice,” he told theTimes. “Our No. 1 rule right now is nothing gets wasted.“As of Jan. 27, Oregon has administered 325,488 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine,according to the Centers for Disease Control, and nationwide, 20,687,970 people have received at least one vaccine dose. After a slow start to the distribution effort, vaccinations have picked up significantly in the last few weeks.President Joe Biden has vowed to give out 100 million dosesin his first 100 days in office, and is on track to meet or exceed that goal.
Oregon health care workers stuck in a snowstorm withsoon-to-expire doses of the COVID-19 vaccinedecided to set up an “impromptu vaccine clinic” and inoculate the other stranded drivers.
About 20 employees from the Josephine County Public Health office were on their way back froma COVID-19 vaccination eventin a rural part of the county when traffic on the highway came to a halt. The highway had been shut down due to the snow and a jackknifed tracktor-trailer, and with no idea when it would reopen, the six remainingModerna vaccine doses they had on hand would soon expire.
Those doses were supposed to go to people in Grants Pass, another 30 miles away, but Michael Weber, the public health director, and his staff knew that they wouldn’t be able to get the doses to them in time. That’s when Weber came up with the idea to give them out to people stuck in their cars.
“I decided to start going door-to-door, car-to-car, offering” the vaccine, Weber,told theWashington Post.
Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.Josephine County Public Health/Facebook
Weber stuck the vaccination paperwork in his coat, while another team member grabbed the bin with the vaccine doses, alcohol and gauze. Other staff members brought a container for the discarded needles and umbrellas for the wet snow. The ambulance that had been on-site at the vaccination event was stuck with them in traffic and was ready to go in the rare case that someone had an allergic reaction.
As they went car-to-car, Weber and his team got mixed reactions to their offer.
“We were a little nervous because not a lot of people in this part of the state are eager to get the vaccine at this point in time,” David Candelaria, a health officer, told thePost.
“A lot” of cars turned them down, but the ones who wanted the vaccine were overjoyed at the opportunity.
“We had one individual who was so happy, he took his shirt off and jumped out of the car,” WebertoldThe New York Times.
Oregon health workers give out vaccine doses to people stuck in traffic.
It took about 45 minutes, but the team found six people who were thrilled to get their first vaccine dose, including one Josephine County Sheriff’s Office employee who was supposed to get her dose at the vaccination event but got there too late.
“It was meant to be for her,” Candelaria told thePost.
RELATED VIDEO: Nurse in Queens Among First in U.S. to Receive COVID Vaccine
Weber said that their car-to-car vaccination effort was “one of the coolest operations” he ever worked on.
“Honestly, once we knew we weren’t going to be back in town in time to use the vaccine, it was just the obvious choice,” he told theTimes. “Our No. 1 rule right now is nothing gets wasted.”
As of Jan. 27, Oregon has administered 325,488 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine,according to the Centers for Disease Control, and nationwide, 20,687,970 people have received at least one vaccine dose. After a slow start to the distribution effort, vaccinations have picked up significantly in the last few weeks.President Joe Biden has vowed to give out 100 million dosesin his first 100 days in office, and is on track to meet or exceed that goal.
source: people.com
