BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – The first vaccines distributed at the Beckley Veterans Association Medical Center were given out back in December of 2020. Now the medical center has given away 10,000.
It was very selective as to who would receive them first and slowly over time more and more people became eligible and got their shot.
Sara Yoke, Public Affairs Officer with the VAMC, says that eight months later, the hospital is celebrating the fact that they have given out 10,000 vaccines.
“We worked really hard to get to this point,” Yoke said. “One reason our vaccine rollout was so successful is we created a planning group last fall that would look at how the vaccine would be administered.”
The veteran to receive the 10 thousandth vaccine at the medical center was Fayetteville local Sam Comer. Hospital staff said he was delighted to finally get his first dose of the Moderna vaccine and get some protection against the virus.
As well, the medical center has given out so many vaccines that they even had a surplus at one point and were able to donate 500 to the Mingo County Health Department.
At the time, that health department only had two doses, but the Beckley VAMC was able to give them some extras and ensure more people get vaccinated.
