The first vaccine clinic in the county that was not specific to Phase 1A workers was held by Gaughn’s Drug Store on Tuesday at First Church of God in Warren.

Gaughn’s received 200 doses late last week and another small shipment Monday, owner and pharmacist Scott Newton said.

“It’s exciting to get started,” Newton said.

While Newton is not receiving as many doses as he is requesting — he requested 500 for this week — he expects to receive some on an ongoing basis. “We do expect to get at least a weekly shipment from here on out,” he said. “We’ll start getting through our list.”

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry A few syringes containing Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are loaded and ready at a Phase 1A clinic Tuesday by Gaughn’s Drug Store.

The 200 doses will make only a small dent in the number of people who have pre-registered with Gaughn’s.

“It’s in the thousands,” Newton said.

People have been registering for weeks, knowing that Gaughn’s would eventually receive vaccine as a participating vaccine partner.

When the pharmacy received the shipment, personnel began setting up appointments.

Appointments were made with 100 people who had pre-registered with Gaughn’s and who were in Phase 1A – which includes everyone over 65 and everyone over 18 who has certain high-risk conditions, as well as health care workers.

Newton said most vials of the vaccine contain one more dose than expected – close to 11 per vial.

To account for that and for people who do not make their appointments, Gaughn’s arranged for some patients to be on stand-by.

It is not a free-for-all. Gaughn’s is contacting people who will be receiving their doses on Thursday. And there is no way to move up the list – patients in the current phase will be contacted on a first-come-first-served basis. Those who have not already registered are encouraged to do so through Gaughn’s social media or Experience Inc.

“They are appointment-based,” Newton said. “We will reach out to patients. We will be contacting you.”

Another clinic will be held Thursday, with the remaining doses to be administered at that time.

The vaccine is shipped and arrives frozen, Newton said. It is thawed on the day of the clinic – but still kept cold. A portable refrigerator/freezer kept vials at 6 degrees Celsius until time to load syringes.

“I’ve had no doubts,” Pam Lyle, one of the patients who received a dose on Tuesday, said. “I think it’s the right thing to do to protect myself and protect other people.”

Lyle is in the high-risk category and is pleased to have received her first dose. “I have been waiting for this for so long,” she said. “I know some people are nervous about it. It’s a good thing, especially for herd immunity.”

Like all of those who received vaccines on Tuesday, Lyle was asked to sit in the sanctuary for a few minutes to make sure she didn’t have any significant reactions. She reported no immediate side effects – “just a shot.”

Even so, “I’d rather have the side-effects than COVID,” she said.

“I’m so excited,” Donna Ball said. “I thought it would be months yet.”

“It’s been going well so far,” Newton said around noon Tuesday. The clinic was scheduled to end at about 2 p.m.

Newton said moving people through the process was not a problem and the average patient was out the door in about 20 minutes.

A follow-up appointment was made with each patient for the second doses before they left.

With an initial shipment of about 200 doses, Newton and Clinical Coordinator Justin Scholl split the clinics into two days.

“We started out small, just to make sure we had our process,” Newton said. “When we do our clinics, we’re hoping to do at least 100.”

They found that administering 100 doses in a day is not going to be a problem.

“From the looks of things, we’re ready to scale up,” Scholl said.

“We could scale it significantly,” Newton said. In addition to doing more in a day, they could hold clinics more often. “If we get several thousand shipped to us, we may be having clinics every day.”

Newton brought Scholl on board to help with the daunting task of being one of a few vaccine partners in the county.

“He’s allowed me to do what I need to do to hopefully make this successful,” Scholl said. “It’s all about logistics.”

There are very few ‘contraindications’ that would prevent someone from being able to receive the vaccine. Right now, the Moderna vaccine is only approved for ages 18 and up. The Pfizer vaccine includes those ages 16 and up.

Other than that, unless someone has already had a significant allergic reaction to the COVID vaccine, or they are allergic to polyethylene glycol or polysorbate, they are good to go.

“It’s nice to be out and feel like you’re doing some good in the community,” Scholl said.

Unlike some clinics he has been a part of before where most people are only there because they have to, “I think everyone that’s come in has been very grateful,” Scholl said. “Everyone that’s come in here, I can’t verify, but I think they had smiles on their faces.”

“You’re doing a wonderful job,” Bill Massa said to Newton as he received his vaccine, “a wonderful service to the community.”

“I’m so glad they’re doing this,” Lyle said. “I’m very grateful to Gaughn’s.”

She plans to continue following the masking and distancing recommendations, but felt different after her vaccine.

“I feel a sense of freedom that I didn’t have before,” Lyle said. “I don’t see my friends. We haven’t seen our son (in person) since September.”

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.

And she offered a caution. “There is no light if people don’t follow the guidelines.”

Even receiving one dose of vaccine, even two, is not a signal that that person is in no danger and represents no danger to those around.

“Until we get everyone vaccinated, follow the recommendations for masking and distancing,” Scholl said. “If we can get the positive reception that we’ve had today, we’ll be well on our way to normalcy.”