CLEVELAND — The opening of the Wolstein Center's COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic was a success, with most patients describing a relatively smooth process.
"It was easy sneezy, honestly," Kulura Blount said. "I was surprised."
Blount was just one of the hundreds of people who got the shot Tuesday. She says she feels more protected from the coronavirus and adds that the mass vaccination "soft launch" at the arena was pain-free on several levels.
"They said [I was] going to have a four-block walk, which is right around the corner, but it was easy," she said. "And I'm scared of needles, I'm telling you. I'm petrified of them, for real, but this was easy from start to finish
"Everybody's going to die one day, you know what I mean? No matter which way it goes. And I don't want it being from COVID. How about that?"
However, if you were hoping to head to the Wolstein Center for your shot vaccine, you're probably going to have to wait a little bit.
3News noticed Wednesday evening that the clinic is no longer available as an option on Ohio's appointment website, gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. Sure enough, Gov. Mike DeWine's office confirmed to our Lynna Lai that all appointments at the arena have been booked for the next two weeks.
Get more information on how to get a COVID-19 vaccine in our special section here
The dearth in available vaccination times adds to the story many Ohioans have seen since the shots began rolling out in December, with supply not yet matching the demand. Still, more than 20% of state residents have received at least their first dose of the vaccine, including roughly 66% of people 70 and older.
Sam Vunnell got the shot too. He says the whole thing was a breeze.
"It was awesome, it was literally awesome." Sam Vunnell, who also got vaccinated at Wolstein, said. "The entire way through, everybody was cordial, everybody was organized. You walk in feeling good; you walk out feeling better. I'm gonna go enjoy the rest of the day, see some downtown."
Local hair stylist Paulo Formichelli got the shot Tuesday because his elderly parents got it. He's also thinking of his clients.
"I'm around people all the time, so I feel more comfortable now," he said. "It was very simple, very easy. Everything went smoothly, from parking to getting the shot. The hardest part was taking off my shirt, because I forgot to wear short sleeves. I can't wait for the second shot."
The "soft launch" was a way to make sure things flow smoothly for the official start of the mass vaccination, which is Wednesday at 8 a.m. Although there are currently no appointments available, the governor's office is urging people to keep checking back, as more could be added or patients could also cancel. Appointments for the third week of operation will open up on Monday.
Author and 3News contributor Doug Trattner was one of those who received their COVID-19 shots at the Wolstein Center on Tuesday. He describes his experience below.
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