COVID In Philadelphia: Veterans Of All Ages Receive Their Vaccine Shots At Crescenz VA Medical Center
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Some local veterans are more protected against COVID-19 on Saturday. Eyewitness News was at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in West Philadelphia for a mass vaccination clinic.
All veterans regardless of age were able to get their shot.
Veterans who want to get the vaccine can do so by clicking here.
Meanwhile, more community members in East Oak Lane are vaccinated against COVID.
Eyewitness News was at Penn Asian Senior Services on Old York Road on Saturday.
More than 200 people got their COVID vaccines there with more than 50% of them coming from minority and underserved communities.
"We have a lot of seniors, we have Asian Americans, African Americans, Caucasians, a lot of folks out and that's what it's all about," Philadelphia Councilperson At Large David Oh said. "Trying to make sure that people who want to get vaccinated are being vaccinated. And we have a lot of volunteers out there, medical health care folks and really they're the backbone of how this is working out."
On Friday, the mass vaccination clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center reached a big milestone, administering its 100,000th shot in the arm.
Renee Trader of Overbrook Park learned she was the 100,000th person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine since the site opened over two weeks ago.
"It feels good to be able to part of the community to start lifting this burden of this COVID," Trader said.
The FEMA-run mass vaccine clinic distributes, on average, 6,000 doses per day thanks to the help of U.S. military members.
"The secretary of defense is defeating COVID-19," Lt. Kevin Stapleton, a U.S. Marine, said.
Officials try to schedule about 3,000 appointments per day at the site and allot about 3,000 doses for walk-ins from under-vaccinated zip codes.
"Philadelphians who may have been experiencing barriers such as the digital divide or access and transportation barriers are able to get in here," Charles Ellison, a FEMA spokesperson, said.
Despite Friday's 100,000th vaccine accomplishment, Philadelphia's health commissioner wants to remind people daily COVID cases in Philly have recently trended upward.
"The virus is still here, the virus is still deadly," Dr. Thomas Farley said. "You still need to wear a mask and keep our distance and get vaccinated at your first opportunity."
