Times Observer file photo Gaughn’s Drug Store and Darling’s Sugar Grove Pharmacy have doses of the COVID-19 vaccine available to local residents.

For those Warren County residents who have eagerly awaited their turn at a COVID vaccine – now is the time.

Gaughn’s Drug Store has received its largest weekly allocation so far and is hoping to put 1,000 first doses into arms during three clinics in the next seven days.

Darling’s Sugar Grove Pharmacy also has doses to deliver.

“We have received and continue to receive steady doses,” Owner and Pharmacist Chris Darling said. “Sign up for an appointment at healthmart.com. Click on ‘schedule an appointment.’ It’s that easy.”

“We have gotten a large allocation over the last couple days,” Gaughn’s Owner and Pharmacist Scott Newton said. “I have over 1,000 first-dose Moderna vaccines.”

Friday’s clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Church of God at 1111 Madison Ave. in Warren. Moderna may be given only to those who are at least 18 years old.

There will not be walk-in opportunities on Friday. All patients must have appointments. But, as of Wednesday afternoon, there were hundreds of appointments available for Friday.

“We have 300 doses allocated,” Newton said. “We’ve only had 23 people sign up.”

There are links at www.gaughns.com and the Gaughn’s Drug Store Facebook page to schedule appointments for Friday. Once those are filled, the links will stop working.

“If it fills up, don’t panic,” he said. “We’re going to have more next week.”

One way or the other, the link will stop working before the event. Newton said he will have to stop taking appointments, probably around 5 p.m., in order to get the schedules and paperwork in order for the clinic.

Gaughn’s is working with Warren County to arrange locations for two clinics next week – probably on Tuesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 29 – with 300 or more doses available each time. Once the locations are set, links for those clinics will be activated.

“There are people that have already signed up for other appointments,” he said. “We’re still running those clinics. If they’ve been scheduled already, they stay the same.”

“This is a pop-up clinic for anybody that doesn’t have an appointment scheduled,” Newton said.

But, anyone who is already signed up for a future clinic for their first dose may opt to move up the schedule. It is important that anyone that does so reaches out to cancel their previous appointment. “They need to make sure they contact whoever they have an appointment with – including us,” he said.

Second dose schedules are determined at the time of the first doses, he said. The new first doses – there is no clinical nor medicinal difference between a first dose and a second dose – will not impact anyone’s scheduled second dose.

Gaughn’s and Area Agency on Aging have attempted to contact everyone who pre-registered for vaccines through Gaughn’s. Anyone who was pre-registered, but not scheduled, is encouraged to set up an appointment.

“Go to our website or our Facebook,” he said. “If it doesn’t work, don’t panic. We’ll open up more clinics next week.”

Those who are unable to visit the site may contact Experience Inc. for assistance. “If anyone does not have computer access or savvy, they can call and we will help them,” Executive Director Danelle Sowers said. “Calling here doesn’t get them on a different list or get them in any sooner. We are just helping those who can’t do it themselves.”

To date, Gaughn’s has administered about 1,700 first doses and 700 second doses, Newton said.

NEW DEATHS

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there were confirmed COVID-related deaths of Warren County residents on April 15 and April 16. Those two deaths bring the pandemic’s toll in the county to 101.

Those are the first COVID deaths in the county since there were deaths on consecutive days in late February.

There have been 2,452 total cases in the county so far.

According to the department’s Wednesday release, there were three COVID-positive patients at Warren General, none of whom were on ventilators nor in intensive care.

A total of 6,288 residents have been fully vaccinated and another 5,648 have received their first dose, according to the department.