WILMINGTON — About 80 local residents received their COVID-19 vaccinations at a POD (Point of Dispensing) held by the Clinton County Health District Tuesday morning at the Nike Center gymnasium on State Route 730.
Overall, nearly 300 locals were scheduled to be vaccinated on Tuesday from the CCHD, according to Health Commissioner Pamela Walker-Bauer, who staffed the POD along with about 10 CCHD staff and volunteers.
A first-hand experience showed that signage clearly directed residents to the POD and Brian Larrick, who provided security and checked in everyone against his list.
The event was run smoothly, efficiently and professionally — and with smiles behind those masks — with all patients that were seen between about 9 and 9:30 a.m. both checking in and receiving their vaccination almost immediately.
And it only hurt for a second.
Following vaccination, each person was asked to sit in one of the socially distanced chairs for around 15 minutes, with a volunteer — in this case, RN Sally Buchanan — monitoring each person and ensuring that each person felt OK before leaving.
A couple of hints to make the process go quickly: If you’re able, print out the form from the CCHD website, complete it and bring it with you (otherwise you have to fill it out at the vaccination site); and, wear a short-sleeve shirt with a sleeve that’s easy to roll up.
And upon completion of your vaccination, you may proudly display your “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” sticker, which is much like the sticker one receives after voting. You are also given a card which provides proof that you received the vaccine, and which type.
Recipients are also given paperwork which contains possible side effects of the vaccine, such as some fatigue, headache, chills or fever — and of course a little soreness at the site of the shot. Everyone is also advised to drink a lot of fluids and to also use the arm that received the dose — including doing a “chicken wing” (or chicken dance) exercise with that arm now and then.
