3 years ago
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A $100 acquisition paper was capable inducement for 64-year-old David Pruitt to beryllium the archetypal successful enactment to get the COVID-19 vaccine connected Saturday morning.
“I did it due to the fact that they got the acquisition cards,” Pruitt said. “But I consciousness good, and I’m gladsome I got it. Now I don’t person to interest astir getting sick again.”
Pruitt was 1 of astir 100 radical who lined up extracurricular Eldorado High School, 1139 N. Linn Lane, earlier the doors opened for a pop-up vaccine clinic. But dissimilar erstwhile vaccine events, Clark County was handing retired $100 Mastercard acquisition cards to the archetypal 500 people.
The enactment of radical waiting for their shots and gifts cards snaked astir the gathering an hr earlier doors opened astatine 10 a.m.
Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said the session distributed 423 vaccine doses connected Saturday. Appointments and walk-ins were accepted.
The session volition beryllium unfastened again from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, with 500 much acquisition cards to distribute.
“This is astir apt 1 of the biggest crowds we’ve had since they were astatine the Convention Center, oregon the Raiders game,” said Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones.
Pruitt said helium and 48-year-old Teresa Cromwell, who besides lives adjacent the school, were the archetypal successful enactment astatine astir 6 a.m. The 2 strangers sat successful folding chairs successful the greeting prima portion waiting for their shots, joking with others seeking walk-up appointments.
Cromwell lone showed up aboriginal due to the fact that she didn’t recognize the session started aboriginal successful the morning, but she was inactive determined to get the acquisition card. Like Pruitt, Cromwell said she had COVID-19 earlier successful the pandemic but didn’t consciousness an urgency to get the vaccine.
“I conscionable person been procrastinating,” she said. “I’ve made appointments, and I haven’t went to those appointments. But similar I said, an other 100 bucks and I’m like, ‘OK, I’m convinced.’”
High lawsuit numbers
The 89110 ZIP code, wherever the precocious schoolhouse is located, has seen the 3rd highest fig of COVID-19 cases successful Clark County since the summertime surge began successful June, according to records maintained by the Review-Journal.
As of Friday, 53.29 percent of radical 12 oregon older successful Clark County person been afloat vaccinated, according to information from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, whose territory includes the country surrounding the precocious school, said the economical inducement seemed to spell a agelong mode to person radical to get the shot.
“This is our past recourse. We conscionable person to spell successful the neighborhoods, get people, adults, their kids, get them vaccinated,” helium said Saturday morning.
Segerblom said the $100,000 spent connected acquisition cards for some days was worthy it if it means expanding vaccination rates.
“We conscionable request to get radical vaccinated and marque definite our system doesn’t illness again,” helium said.
Ethan Lucero, 19, said helium had been putting disconnected getting vaccinated due to the fact that of imaginable broadside effects and a fearfulness of needles. He was making plans to get the changeable regardless, but the $100 acquisition paper was a bonus.
“It decidedly play a large portion successful it,” said Lucero, who was 1 of the archetypal to get a changeable Saturday. “But honestly I conscionable felt similar present is the clip to support myself.”
Keenan Laffoon and his wife, Ursula, stood successful enactment with their 10-month-old son, Lucca. All 3 got COVID-19 successful December, which Laffoon said was nerve-wracking with a newborn.
The 2 thought they had antibodies aft already investigating affirmative for the virus. But present that the vaccine has been disposable for months, they thought it was clip to get inoculated. Keenan Laffoon said they showed up 3 hours aboriginal adjacent though they had an appointment, conscionable to marque definite they could get a acquisition card.
Hopefully, helium said, the wealth volition person others to get their shots.
“Obviously for $100, if they’re connected the fence, they’re really going to bash it for that,” helium said.
Contact Katelyn Newberg astatine knewberg@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg connected Twitter.
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