PELLA, Iowa — Marion County Public Health teamed up with Vermeer and Pella Regional Health Center to provide the vaccine to 850 Iowans on Friday.
Vermeer Global Pavilion in Pella accommodated 700 appointments, and Marion County Health vaccinated an additional 150 off site.
Health officials say it comes at a good time, as 1 million additional Iowans will be eligible come Monday.
“If we can knock a big portion of [Phase 1B] out before the need gets so great for those for 65 and younger with pre-existing conditions, it’s going to mean a lot,” said Melissa Woodhouse with Marion County Public Health.
Woodhouse said Marion County has been fielding a lot of calls from Iowans with pre-existing conditions who didn’t have an idea of when they’d be eligible for the vaccine until Thursday's announcement.
“Up until now we’ve just not really had an answer,” Woodhouse said. “We knew it was going to be moved out a bit, so it’s going to be really nice to let some of those go through after we get some of these 65 and older vaccinated.”
For many who are eligible, it has been difficult to nab an appointment.
Rebecca Schreuder, a Spanish immersion educator at Pella Christian High School, was thrilled when she found out she finally had the opportunity to get vaccinated at the mass clinic.
“I hope that this means as we move towards summer that we will be able to get rid of some of the mitigation [efforts], maybe start opening things up more,” Schreuder said. “Especially as an educator, if we can really start doing the things we love to do with our students like collaboration more."
"It’s been hard to do school with COVID.”
Vivian Willemsen, a social worker, said getting the does brings a sense of relief and expressed gratitude for all the agencies that helped pull off the clinic.
“I really appreciate the Marion County Health Department and Vermeer for putting on the clinic,” she told Local 5. “They have a great space for it.”
As the pandemic has been filled with many ups and downs, Woodhouse considers it an honor to help put Iowans’ minds at ease.
“It’s just the best part of this COVID-19 experience,” she said. “We just feel really blessed that we’re able to help people.”