LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — When DePietro's Pharmacy in Dunmore first started giving out the COVID-19 vaccine, owner Tom DePietro never would have guessed he'd be in the position he's in now.
"What appears to be overnight, demand just suddenly gone, has been pretty remarkable, to say the least," he said.
The phone was ringing off the hook a few months ago. Now, DePietro's and other pharmacies are struggling to fill chairs with people willing to get the vaccine.
DePietro told Newswatch 16 he's having to get creative. His staff is reaching out to employers to set up workplace vaccine clinics and calling patients at the end of each day to use up the shots already out of refrigeration.
"It used to be very easy to get rid of vaccine at the end of the day. Now, it's become very much a struggle. Luckily, we have quite a few people's second doses coming up, and they've been very adaptive to come in and get their second dose on short notice rather than their scheduled appointment time," DePietro added.
Eric Pusey, who owns Medicap Pharmacy in Olyphant, is in the same boat.
This week, he's working with local high schools to use up excess Pfizer shots on eligible teenagers. A clinic was held Monday at Mid Valley High School.
Both pharmacists said supply is higher than demand because Lackawanna County has one of the highest vaccination rates in the state, but they're also battling vaccine hesitancy.
"With folks who haven't received their vaccination yet, some of it is hesitancy, some of it is just concern, some of it is, it's a little bit out of their way to get vaccinated. What we're trying to do is get as many opportunities available, and there are many opportunities throughout the county," Pusey said.