RADFORD, Va. – The Dedmon Center is the home of Radford University basketball, but it hosted a more important series of shots on Saturday.
The New River Valley Health District and Radford University joined forces on a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the arena. The mass vaccination administered the second dose of the vaccine to hundreds of attendees.
“Let’s just keep celebrating the vaccines as they go into arms, as they complete the series, as they get people vaccinated,” said New River Valley health director Dr. Noelle Bissell. “It’s been a long time since people have been this happy and smiling. They feel like there is an end to this.”
Bissell said about 2,500 people in the New River Valley were eligible for the clinic. She now reports 12,000 people in the New River Valley have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“This is that light at the end of the tunnel,” Bissell said. “With every day and every shot, that light gets brighter.”
Attendees of the Dedmon Center clinic told 10 News they had no regrets about vaccinating and felt more protected after they received their second dose.
“I looked at the odds,” said Michael Goodman. “Between the chance of me getting COVID without the vaccine and the chance of getting COVID from the vaccine, I’ll take the vaccine every time.”
“I feel a whole lot better than I did without it,” said Lisa Bartone. “I feel safe now.”
Bissell said there are still struggles in keeping the vaccine supply in line with demand, but believes the recent rise in vaccinations is a significant factor in the decrease of Virginia’s COVID-19 cases.
“Every shot in an arm is one more step towards herd immunity, and one more step in getting our lives back to normal and away from the pandemic,” Bissell said.