PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — About 450 kids between the ages of 5-11 got their COVID vaccination at a drive-thru clinic at Oaks Park in Portland on Saturday.
Dr. Monique Pritchard, who helped organize the event, said the 3-day event is expected to vaccinate about 1200 kids. Pritchard, who co-owns the Sellwood Medical Clinic, said she contacted Oaks Park “and they completed volunteered their space for us today and yesterday and tomorrow (Sunday) so we could vaccinate a lot more kids between 5 and 11. They totally are volunteering their staff, their security and their space for us today, so we really appreciate them.”
There was a long line when the event opened up Saturday morning, but organizers had it set up in a similar fashion to adult vaccination events.
Pritchard said people checked in at the first station and had their information verified. At the next station they verify there’s been no side effects from previous vaccinations, then they go to a third station where they get the vaccine. After the shot, they wait for another 15 minutes during which time they get checked again by pediatricians.
Wendy Chen brought her daughter to get vaccinated and said “everything was super easy. I was super impressed.”
Chen said her family are patients at Sellwood Medical Clinic and have been waiting for this event. As soon as the vaccine got FDA approval, they signed up for an appointment.
“My kids have always been vaccinated. There’s a reason why we don’t have polio and a lot of these things anymore,” Chen told KOIN 6 News. “Me and my husband got vaccinated. My 13-year-old got vaccinated. I feel (my younger child is) a little bit safer today than she was yesterday.”
She added that it’s important to get vaccinated for the “good of the community” — including her young kids under 5 and her elderly parents.
Pritchard said this event, which goes through Sunday, “is totally for people who want to get vaccinated. I encourage questions about the vaccine so they know the side effects. We just encourage them to reach out to us and ask any questions they might have. We want everyone to feel comfortable when they get vaccinated.”
