LYNCHBURG, Va. – Lynchburg city and health leaders have transformed the former T.J. Maxx store in the Candler’s Station Shopping Center into a mass vaccination site.
“Our goal is to get vaccines into as many people who want them, as quickly and as efficiently as possible,” said Fire Chief Greg Wormser.
The fire department partnered with Lynchburg City School nurses Monday to distribute vaccines to nearly 450 essential workers who fall in Phase 1b.
“This is going to be able to bring our students, hopefully, back full-time once we’re able to get COVID under control. So, this is one of the first steps in being able to do that,” said Lynchburg City Schools nurse coordinator Andrea Bryant.
“I think it’s very important. If it can keep you from getting sick, and then keep you from passing it to others; and it can’t hurt you, it’s a win-win,” said Courtney Langlois, a registered school nurse who received her second Moderna shot on Monday.
She also thought it was good practice for operations at the site.
“It went great. It went fast. It was very self-explanatory. The girls are moving us through very quickly,” said Langlois.
This was the first time city and health leaders used the location, but they reminded residents the site is not open to the public yet, and vaccinations are by appointment only.
“We do have people here that are essential workers that are 65 and older; and we have essential workers here that are under the age of 65, but they fall into the essential worker category,” said Wormser.
That means if you fall into 1b just because you’re over the age of 65, it could be a while before you get called to the site.
It’s unclear when the site will be available to the general public as the Central Virginia Health District does not have enough doses right now.