WAYNE COUNTY, Pa. — Wayne Memorial Health received 2,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine earlier this week and quickly set up two clinics in Pike and Wayne Counties. People who had an appointment for the clinic near Honesdale would be one of 1,000 first doses given.
"Up to now, we haven't been able to plan clinics very far in advance. You never knew how (many) doses you're going to get each week, so it was always like, OK, we're going to have a dose on Wednesday. We got the vaccines on Monday. We open it up Monday afternoon, you know, now we're actually going to be able to start scheduling ahead," said Dr. James Cruse, Wayne Memorial CHC medical director.
Dr. Cruse said this clinic in the old Rusty Palmer complex near Honesdale was an ideal location, offering plenty of space and parking to get people in and out safely and quickly.
That was comforting to many.
"I think if it was a smaller room, I would have been more nervous and not knowing what to expect and seeing how everybody just moving along really nicely and easily. It made me feel a lot better," Theresa Morton said.
With this much space, Wayne Memorial Hospital moved 1,000 people through to get their dose of the vaccine easily, and some said even painlessly.
"I didn't even notice it when she stuck me. I didn't know what's going on and then get in the other line and check out," Gary Casey said. "It's very good."
"It was good. I did OK, not hurting or nothing," Maria Wasileski said.
Many people we spoke to said they were happy to have their first dose of the vaccine to move forward.
"To be traveling, all of that, and I just want to go back to normal. Hopefully, everybody gets a vaccine," John Morton said.
"We're anticipating the state saying that they're going to start giving us 2,000 doses every week; 1,000 doses for Pike County and 1,000 doses for Wayne County," Dr. Cruse added.
Dr. Cruse says it is still recommended to register for the vaccine on Wayne Memorial's website, and hopefully, it won't be too long of a wait.