AKRON, Ohio (WJW) — Nearly 4,000 Northeast Ohio veterans age 65 and older are receiving their first dose of the Pfzier BioTech COVID-19 vaccine this weekend.
The veterans have scheduled appointments at one the VA’s four sites administering the vaccine, including Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown and Mansfield.
Organizers said the appointment-based clinics are a push to get the vaccine closer to veterans over a 21-county area, noting the travel barriers some patients might face.
“We do not want Veterans to experience long wait times by doing walk-in clinics,” CEO Jill Dietrich said in a statement. “This approach also helps us to following ACIP guidelines regarding priority groups.”
The Akron site, as seen in the video above, was quite busy Saturday. All locations continue through Sunday.
The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System began administering vaccines in mid-December, and after this weekend, the system will have given out over 13,000 first doses.