Thousands receive COVID-19 vaccine at mass clinics

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Thousands of healthcare workers received doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Pennsylvania and Delaware this weekend.

Philly Fighting COVID, a grassroots organization, hosted a clinic at the Pennsylvania Convention Center where 2,500 healthcare workers were vaccinated Friday and Saturday.

"That's what I would really like for everybody, for the whole world to be vaccinated and for us to move on at this point," said Lisa Pearson, a supervisor at Main Line Fertility.

"Set an example for our patients, make sure they know the vaccine is safe," said Robert DeSantis, who's a pharmacist.

Philadelphia is still in Phase 1a of vaccine administration, meaning doses are going to healthcare workers.

"We are able to process up 4,500 patients a day if we're running all of our pods here. We just need the doses," said Victoria Milano, the site manager for Philly Fighting COVID.

She says she hopes the clinic will get to a higher capacity of patients per day if they're giving more doses.

"It's important that we get this vaccine out to as many people as we can. As quickly as we can, so we can get this pandemic under control," said Megan Werner of Westside Family Healthcare in Delaware.

Megan and her staff hosted a private clinic where it vaccinated 350 people Saturday.

"It's important for everyone. Do this for your health, for your family, and the greater good," said Margaret Dodson, a dental hygienist who received her first shot of the vaccine there.

Carol Hinton, who is a nurse, said, "I wasn't trying to be first in line, but I figured there's a couple million of them, so it looks like it's safe enough."

Hinton says she wants to be an example for the community that this vaccine is safe.

"I have my mother still alive, I'm helping my cousin out, so you don't want to take nothing to them either," she said.

While vaccine doses are not yet open to the general public, anyone who wants it can preregister for it now with Philly Fighting COVID and get updates about when it's your turn.