Robbinsville – More than 200 Graham County citizens are now better protected from COVID-19, following a mass vaccine clinic held Saturday at Robbinsville High School.
The vaccine event was held by the Graham County Health Department and other county agencies, with the support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the N.C. National Guard. In total, 248 people were vaccinated, receiving either first doses or booster doses.
Saturday’s vaccine clinic was the largest held in Graham County to date.
“We’re at about 50 percent vaccinated for the county, which is awesome,” said Graham County Health Department Director Beth Booth. “That’s just first dose and fully vaccinated, I think we’re at 46 percent. Hopefully it’ll be higher after today.”
Booth said the event was the first of its kind held in the county, although smaller evening clinics have been held at the health department.
‘This is the first full day mass vaccination clinic we’ve offered,” Booth said.
Booth also said the clinic was the first time the health department was vaccinating children aged 5-11. The Centers for Disease Control approved the Pfizer vaccine for children on Nov. 2.
“I’m really hoping to see some uptake of that vaccine, because since the schools have gone back to masks optional, if the child is fully vaccinated, they’ve actually shown over a 90 percent reduction in contracting COVID,” Booth said. “It’s 90 percent effective for adults at preventing hospitalizations, but it’s actually shown to be even more effective in children at preventing them from catching COVID to begin with.”
She emphasized that the Pfizer dose would be offered at the health department after the event, as well.
The event was also the kickoff for the county’s “Take One for the Team” vaccine initiative, which allows those receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to donate $50 to any of several youth organizations in Graham County. The money supporting the program comes from the Dogwood Health Trust and the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Booth said those receiving the vaccine would have the opportunity to donate for a short while longer until the money set aside runs out.
In total, the clinic netted $10,200 for local youth organizations, with 204 of 248 vaccinated choosing contributions.
“We’re hoping that if we get enough people vaccinated, that surge that we saw in September will not happen again,” Booth said.
Graham County EMS Director Philip Boyle discussed the logistics of setting up the event, saying that the preparations took several months.
“We were constantly in touch with everybody to see how we could best serve the community, how we could set this up so that it was going to be this public event where we weren’t coming at this from a lot of what you’ve seen on the news, a lot of the scare tactics, but more coming at this as we are a family, we are a community,” Boyle said. “Let’s get out there and not only take care of ourselves, but help take care of those that we love out there.”
County Manager Jason Marino emphasized that many different county departments were involved in the clinic and lauded Booth, Boyle, Graham County Economic Development Director Sophia Paulos and other department heads. He also acknowledged the FEMA and National Guard workers at the event.
“I just think it’s a great team, honestly,” Marino said. “The department of public health, our emergency management director, who’s also with EMS, so we have paramedics that are here and we have law enforcement here too. That’s just saying a lot about how the team of Graham County comes together. My ultimate goal was to have a team that communicates and talks together, works together, because we can’t do it all as one: we have to do it together as a team.”