'Been A Long Time Coming': Thousands Receive Shots At Natomas High Vaccination Clinic
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – More than 2,000 people were given shots at a Natomas High School vaccination clinic as part of liberation day.
The doses were administered through an appointment-only system. The first thousand were patients who received their second Pfizer dose. The remaining doses were split: 500 for those who needed their first shot and 500 Johnson and Johnson doses, which are one and done.
"It's been a long time coming," said Bob Taganelli, a teacher at the high school.
Taganelli was one of those in line receiving their second dose to be fully vaccinated.
"We are ready to get back in the classroom," he said.
And now, other front-line workers were qualified to get in line.
"We're finally getting janitors and grocery store workers vaccinated and we're really excited about this opportunity, and in the coming weeks, we're going to vaccinate tens of thousands more," said Fabrizio Sasso, with the Sacramento Central Labor Council.
Restauranteur Patrick Mulvaney has lost two-thirds of his staff. He says, of that, around 30-40 percent have already been vaccinated so they can get back to work.
"To be able to be out on the tables, we can't hug each other, but we're seeing each other. We're sharing and beginning to bring the community back together," he said.
Mulvaney said it's a huge thank you to employees who have fed thousands of seniors during the pandemic.
"The most important part of the restaurant is it's a gathering place, a place for the community to break bread and to have conversations to change the way we live," he said. "It's gratifying with these vaccines we're that much closer to being able to do that on a daily basis."
The vaccination clinic was run by Dr. Rusty Oshita, who is a medical director and ER physician at Urgent Care Now. He said they based the clinic on a testing site that operated at Jesuit High School last summer.
"We did about 1,000 individuals in 2.5 hours. That's where we learned our flow processes," Oshita said.
The quicker the better say those who know it's one shot closer to normalcy.
"To just be around family again, grandparents and cousins, will be very nice," said Taganelli.
