Burlington County Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Center Celebrates 200,000 Vaccines
MOORESTOWN, N.J. (CBS) -- The mass vaccination center in Burlington County reached a major milestone on Friday. They surpassed 200,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
It's a proud moment for this site as they continue to help in a return to normalcy.
Every dose details a different story.
"Once in a while you'll hear a shout of delight from the vaccinator chair," Director of Case Management Taylor Kelly said.
It's a potential return to normalcy with every appointment.
The mass vaccination site at the Moorestown Mall in Burlington County is moving mountains.
Virtua Health says 5,500 people are expected to come through Friday, with the average time inside just 30 minutes.
"I don't think any of us in health care ever imagined having to do this type of mass vaccination. We did this probably about 11 years ago with H1N1, but it was nowhere to this extent," Virtua Chief Operating Officer John Matsinger said.
Friday represented a milestone for the site -- 200,000 vaccinations, over 2% of the entire population of New Jersey.
Erica Saldana was the recipient of a cake, claps and number 200,000.
A high school Spanish assistant, Saldana says she lost her stepmother to COVID. Able to weather the past year with protocols instilled in her own home, she says she kept her two teenage boys safe.
"As soon as we started getting more information and we started realizing our protocols were working for our household, I started feeling a little bit more weight coming off our shoulders at that time," Saldana said.
Now fully vaccinated, it's a chance to get back to normal after receiving her second dose of Pfizer.
"This shot actually represents a small bit of freedom. I really love traveling to and exploring the world," Saldana said.
First stop for Saldana? Mexico City to trace her own lineage.
