ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) When it comes getting the COVID shot into the arms of residents York County leaders say they are the model to follow.
State, county and city leaders coming together on this Thursday, announcing a new COVID vaccination community-wide clinic opening inside the Galleria Mall. The Vaccination clinic will open this Friday by appointment only and to those who are eligible based on the state’s phased approach.
What used to be Home South and Goody’s inside the Galleria Mall, will now be home to a mass COVID vaccination clinic.
Rock Hill’s Mayor John Gettys says, “COVID in some communities has brought out the worst in people, but so far in Rock Hill it’s brought out the best of us – and I think this is a living embodiment, with the volunteers that we have coming, with the set up, with the city working so well with Piedmont especially, to get into this location and start injecting hope into people with every shot.”
Leaders say this clinic is the first of its kind in South Carolina, beginning to vaccinate 500 people per day. They say they have a hefty list of volunteers now, but are looking for more in order to ramp up vaccinations.
“If you can come in here and help and help us put that hope in everyone’s arms, we’re counting on the community to do that,” says Gettys.
Hospital leaders continue to work with the new challenges thrown at them. Leaders say it’s the community collaboration that made this large scale effort possible.
Piedmont Medical C.E.O. Mark Nosacka says, “Instantly there was a community challenge that we didn’t have before that. So at that point in time, it was hard for us think about how are we gonna meet that challenge when all of us are devoted to caring for people already.”
Rock Hill’s Mayor John Getty’s says 500 shots in arms each day is just a start — he and other leaders say they’re looking forward to bringing back a sense of normalcy to the community.
“Winston Churchill once said, ‘You don’t give what you can, or what you have, you give what is required,’ and that’s where we are at this point in time in our community. And [I’m] looking forward to seeing that come to fruition over the next several months,” says Gettys.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson with more of what you can expect.
