New Hampshire’s first mass vaccination event got underway Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where more than 11,000 Granite Staters this weekend will receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The event runs through Monday. Such an event has never been tried before in New Hampshire, but state officials said they’re ready.”We’ve done planning for years of mass vaccinations, mass distributing of food and water,” said Perry Plummer, of the New Hampshire COVID Vaccine Response Team. “We take those plans, and then we developed a plan that fits our needs today.”From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, 300 volunteers will be helping to get needles into arms. Plummer said there are 11,400 doses and 11,400 appointments.”They’re going to be able to pull up, stay right in their car,” Plummer said. “They’re going to be put in multiple lanes, so traffic doesn’t back up. They’ll be greeted. They’ll be screened. They’ll go in, get their vaccine, and then they’ll go to a waiting area for their observation, and then they’ll leave.” Lou Lange of Portsmouth and his wife are among those who will be receiving vaccinations. They got their appointments bumped up from April.”The guy even asked me why are you coming all the way from Portsmouth? I’m like look, we want the shot, and the advantage is that we were told it was the Johnson & Johnson, so the single poke, that’s fine,” Lange said.Among the 300 volunteers will be Kimberly Mihelich.”I’m just so excited. It’s been a really long year for everyone,” she said.”This is my way to help and my way to give back, so I’m so excited,” Mihelich added.Angy Lombara of Gilsum was scheduled to get the shot on April 8. But a call to 211 got her a slot at the speedway on Monday. “Thrilled, thrilled, and I’m even more thrilled that I only have to get one shot. I’m not a big fan of shots,” Lombara said.Officials estimate the whole experience should last about an hour and a half. They’re asking people not to arrive more than 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment. People should bring some snacks, a shirt that allows workers to get to their shoulders and some patience.”We’re totally full, although we’re still taking people, calling 211 and moving them up into some of the fixed sites, some of our Walgreens appointments and certainly some of the hospital appointments, and we’re also making a small waiting list in case someone cancels, as well,” Plummer said.State officials said more mass clinics could follow, depending on how much vaccine the state gets from the federal government.
LOUDON, N.H. —
New Hampshire’s first mass vaccination event got underway Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where more than 11,000 Granite Staters this weekend will receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The event runs through Monday. Such an event has never been tried before in New Hampshire, but state officials said they’re ready.
“We’ve done planning for years of mass vaccinations, mass distributing of food and water,” said Perry Plummer, of the New Hampshire COVID Vaccine Response Team. “We take those plans, and then we developed a plan that fits our needs today.”
From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, 300 volunteers will be helping to get needles into arms. Plummer said there are 11,400 doses and 11,400 appointments.
“They’re going to be able to pull up, stay right in their car,” Plummer said. “They’re going to be put in multiple lanes, so traffic doesn’t back up. They’ll be greeted. They’ll be screened. They’ll go in, get their vaccine, and then they’ll go to a waiting area for their observation, and then they’ll leave.”
Lou Lange of Portsmouth and his wife are among those who will be receiving vaccinations. They got their appointments bumped up from April.
“The guy even asked me why are you coming all the way from Portsmouth? I’m like look, we want the shot, and the advantage is that we were told it was the Johnson & Johnson, so the single poke, that’s fine,” Lange said.
Among the 300 volunteers will be Kimberly Mihelich.
“I’m just so excited. It’s been a really long year for everyone,” she said.
“This is my way to help and my way to give back, so I’m so excited,” Mihelich added.
Angy Lombara of Gilsum was scheduled to get the shot on April 8. But a call to 211 got her a slot at the speedway on Monday.
“Thrilled, thrilled, and I’m even more thrilled that I only have to get one shot. I’m not a big fan of shots,” Lombara said.
Officials estimate the whole experience should last about an hour and a half. They’re asking people not to arrive more than 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment. People should bring some snacks, a shirt that allows workers to get to their shoulders and some patience.
“We’re totally full, although we’re still taking people, calling 211 and moving them up into some of the fixed sites, some of our Walgreens appointments and certainly some of the hospital appointments, and we’re also making a small waiting list in case someone cancels, as well,” Plummer said.
State officials said more mass clinics could follow, depending on how much vaccine the state gets from the federal government.