UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Despite poor weather, more than 1,000 people received COVID-19 vaccine doses at the latest vaccination clinic hosted by Centre Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) and Penn State on Jan. 9 at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus.
The free clinic was available to anyone age 12 or older who needed a first, second or booster dose of any of the three authorized COVID-19 vaccines.
“We had 936 people scheduled, and we had 191 walk-ins, said Kristi Mattzela, CVIM’s clinical services director. “So despite the major ice storm, we still vaccinated more than 1,000 people. The weather didn’t keep people away. It was busy, but a great event.”
Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones said the clinics have been a valuable tool in promoting the health and safety of the local and campus community.
“It’s gratifying to see how CVIM is helping to meet the strong demand for COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots, and continues to be such a great partner with Penn State,” Jones said. “I’m pleased that we were able to time this clinic to move-in weekend to give our students access to the vaccines, but also that we were able to reach members of the local community who needed a first, second or booster dose.”
Mattzela said CVIM continues to host vaccine clinics at its location at 2026 Sandy Drive in State College for appointments and walk-ins. The University’s virusinfo website also offers information on general vaccine availability, as well as vaccinations for students at University Park campus.
Mattzela said the initial round of appointments for the Sunday clinic filled up in about three hours.
“Whenever a new group of people is approved for the vaccine, such as the 12- to 15-year-olds being approved last week, our appointment slots do fill quickly,” she said. “But these filled even more quickly than we thought they would.”
During the pandemic, CVIM has hosted more than 180 clinics and administered more than 42,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses. CVIM has partnered with Penn State to host seven other vaccination clinics at the Bryce Jordan Center and the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
“This partnership has really allowed us to increase access and highlight the availability of vaccines to help our community be healthier during the pandemic,” Mattzela said. “When you have such a large number of people needing to be vaccinated, being able to partner with someone with the facilities and space that can accommodate that allows us to be more efficient in getting the vaccine out into the community.”
She said the Jan. 9 event saw a range of people, from children to adults, as well as Penn State students. “We had students tell us that they tried to get the booster back home during the winter break, but were having trouble getting an appointment. A number of parents commented how grateful they were for their students to be able to get the booster before returning to campus.”
For the latest information about Penn State’s response to COVID-19, go to virusinfo.psu.edu.