The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
EFFICIENCIES OF SCALE
Hundreds of healthcare workers line up for vaccine
Hundreds of area healthcare workers received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Jan. 16 in a mass clinic.
Nursing staff from Lorain County Public Health spent the morning and early afternoon sticking their medical colleagues in the fourth mass vaccination clinic to stem the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Lorain County Public Health planned for about 900 vaccines and received 780, said Mark Adams, deputy health commissioner in Lorain County.
“People are happy they got to be here, they’re happy they got in line, they’re happy that they’re able to get their shot and we’re happy to be able to do it,” Adams said.
“That means it’s more shots in arms, that means we get back to normal faster.” — Mark Adams, deputy health commissioner in Lorain County
Apart from hospital workers, Adams said staff at dental practices and home health agencies were among those lining up for the inoculations at the Lodge of New Russia Township, 46300 Butternut Ridge Road.
They were among the medical workers and vulnerable populations tapped for vaccines in Ohio’s Phase 1A Distribution. Those vaccinated were scheduled to return in a month for the second dose necessary.
Getting shots
Veronica O’Connor of Amherst, an expanded function dental auxiliary for Lorain County Health & Dentistry, said she was a little bit nervous about the vaccine, largely because she did not know what to expect. The shot did not hurt, she said.
Working in community health is rewarding, O’Connor said, but COVID-19 has been a scary thing for medical and dental staff. They take appropriate precautions and use personal protective equipment, but still may be exposed to COVID-19 through work, she said.
“But hopefully this will solve the problem,” O’Connor said. “I think it’s important to get vaccinated to stop the spread and eventually get this world back to normal.”
Julie Kane, a home healthcare provider from Avon Lake, said she did not treat COVID-19 patients through her employer, Home Instead senior care.
But the homecare staff interact with clients and their family members, and clients have been asking if the homecare workers will be vaccinated, Kane said.
She added she was nervous about the vaccine, but felt confident after speaking with family and friends about it. With a double shift scheduled for Jan. 17, Kane said she hoped she would not feel ill and have to call off work.
“One more in a month and then my part will be finished,” Kane said. She agreed the shot was not painful.
“Tetanus shots are way worse, way worse,” she said.
The line included Paul Baumgartner Jr., executive director of the Lorain County Free Clinic, and Kathleen Janda, Free Clinic operations director.
That agency has about 75 volunteer doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners. Most received vaccines through their regular work agencies.
The Free Clinic had about 21 volunteer staffers who would not have easy access to the vaccine and 20 of them were relying on Lorain County Public Health for the doses, Baumgartner said.
He and Janda agreed they wanted to get vaccinated to set a good example for the community.
“Thank you — it doesn’t even hurt,” Janda said after the injection.
Mass clinic
The Jan. 16 clinic was the last of the Moderna vaccines that arrived at the agency two days before.
The Lodge ran out of parking spaces and some attendees had to wait in line outside. That was not ideal given cold temperatures of January, but the wait was brief and indicative of good turnout, Adams said.
“That means it’s more shots in arms, that means we get back to normal faster,” he said.
There were 10 nurses at five stations averaging about 165 vaccinations per hour, Adams said. Two others filled the syringes, with 10 doses of the Moderna vaccine coming from one bottle of liquid. Staff would walk the loaded syringes to the stations.
The remaining 12 staff assisted with flow inside and outside the lodge.
“We’ve continued to get more efficient at each one of these clinics,” Adams said.
The recipients were asked to wait indoors for 15 minutes to check for side effects and if they had any questions, or to wait in their cars before leaving. They also responded to a brief online survey, by cell phone, answering questions to assist tracking by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of the end of day Jan. 15, Lorain County Public Health had distributed 1,330 vaccines, not counting group homes or the Jan. 16 clinic. Adding those figures, Adams estimated the agency’s total would approach 2,300 doses.
“With zero in the refrigerator. That’s what we want,” he said. “It encourages me when I see this.”
What’s next
Next week, Lorain County Public Health will receive 2,000 Pfizer vaccines to begin vaccinating people in the cohort known as Phase 1B. There will be two walk-up clinics and one drive-thru clinic for people over age 65, those with underlying health conditions and school workers.
The next round of vaccines will be from drugmaker Pfizer. It is known partly because of the need for super-cold storage, and Lorain County Public Health will partner with the local hospitals to chill the medicine, Adams said.
None wasted
Lorain County Public Health also has had smaller clinics at the agency, 9880 South Murray Ridge Road, and has sent teams out to 75 group homes for people with developmental disabilities.
“We’ve not wasted a single dose, not one,” Adams said. “That is our goal, is to have zero waste, because anything we waste is not a shot in someone’s arm.”
If there are more vaccines than participants, Lorain County Public Health keeps a “waste list” of people who can respond within a half hour to receive a shot, Adams said.
People who want vaccines should be assured, eventually they will get their shots, Adams said.