Community honors pharmacist for COVID response
Dipak Patel has led efforts to provide more than 40,000 vaccine doses
The busy COVID vaccination clinic at Gov. Mifflin Intermediate School paused Saturday morning, Dec. 4, as state Sen. Judy Schwank led the community in an appreciation for the clinic’s keystone: Dipak Patel, owner and pharmacist at the Medicine Shoppe of Shillington.
Schwank also brought news of his continuing efforts.
“Dipak and his team have been a leading force in Berks County’s fight against COVID-19. Together with a network of over 600 volunteers, Dipak has organized numerous vaccination clinics around Berks County and continues to offer shots at The Medicine Shoppe,” the citation said. “These selfless acts of community service have greatly benefited the health and wellbeing of countless Berks County residents.
“Because of the success Dipak and his team has had administering doses, The Medicine Shoppe was approved to provide monoclonal antibody treatment to individuals who are dealing with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.”
The treatment is not yet available. Patel is in the process of setting up a system to handle requests for the antibody treatment.
Monoclodal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic natural antibodies’ ability to fight viruses such as COVID.
The community had asked Schwank to come to honor Patel.
Patel said he was touched by the citation but that the more than 40 vaccination clinics were the work of many volunteers in the community.
“It was a good acknowledgement for the whole community,” Patel said as the clinic wound down. “We need everyone’s contribution.”
The Medicine Shoppe has administered more than 40,000 vaccine doses, Patel said. That’s about 13% of all the vaccines in Berks County. He said he is seeing many returning for boosters.
On Saturday, 800 people, many of them children, received COVID vaccinations.
Stephanie Seifirt, Gov. Mifflin School District assistant human resources director, said from the beginning of vaccinations Patel
had in mind the neediest of the community: the elderly and poor who did not have computer access to schedule appointments.
The time-consuming paperwork was done by hand.
Seifrit help coordinate the clinics in which school board members and doctors volunteered, including cleanup and directing traffic.
Seifrit recalled that in the spring the clinics had a different vibe than the positive feeling as children were vaccinated on Saturday.
“In the spring people were panicked,” Seifrit said. “They were in tears they were so relieved to get a shot.”
Seifrit recalled getting texts from Patel many late nights as they worked out logistics for the clinics. Seifrit said the unused gym and the volunteer help in cleaning up made a difference in pulling off such an undertaking.
In July, Patel was honored by the borough of Shillington. Council members said Patel’s efforts probably saved untold lives.
At that time, Patel also diverted attention from himself. The credit, he said, went his team and the whole community.