FARMINGTON—As the COVID-19 vaccine became available, the Davis County Health Department set up clinics last week in the Legacy Events Center to administer shots to non hospital workers.

“It’s been months in the works,” said Trevor Warner, Communications Manager for the DCHD. “In the summer we were looking at where and how we could roll it out and have the space to do it. We worked with the commissioners to set up shop to do drive through clinics.”

Warner said there were two lanes with 14 stations. “We had two tables a lane so we could serve two cars at a time. It was for non hospital workers like pharmacists, home healthcare workers, hospice people, classified EMTs and first responders.”

Three clinics were held last week and two more were scheduled for this week. “We’ll keep doing it as we get the vaccine,” he said. “ It will be week by week. We can only vaccinate with the supplies we have. With the amounts we have we’re expecting two and a half to three weeks to get through it.”

Warner said the health department received about 2,600 doses of the Moderna vaccine. “The next shipment is Pfizer. We’ll get just over 4,500 vials of that.”

The Pfizer vaccine must be stored at a certain temperature. “I understand it comes in a big dry ice box,”’ he said. “We ended up buying one of those freezers where we can store the vaccine.”

Public healthcare staff administered the vaccine. “With the drive through clinic they can stay in their car, get the shot and be in and out within five minutes,” said Warner. “Once they get it, they go out into a huge parking lot. We recommend they stay 15 minutes in their car to make sure there’s no reaction. There’s staff out there to help people if needed.”

Patients are asked to show a work badge to identify that they are in fact a non hospital worker, he said. “Staff double checks their paperwork then they go to the nurse to get the shot. We follow the CDC protocol marking the date, which arm and the type of vaccine, then they drive out of the building.”

People are so grateful as they come through, he said. “They’re thankful for the opportunity to get the vaccine. It’s great to see when they haven’t been able to get together. We’ll work hard to continue getting out to people. We’re finally seeing the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.”