COVID-19 vaccinations were available for first responders and health care workers – Coloradans in Phase 1A and 1B — who pre-registered in advance to receive the dose at a drive-thru distribution center on Thursday, Jan. 21 at the Arvada Fire Protection District training center off Indiana Street.
Five hundred area residents were expected to receive the vaccination shot at the drive-thru vaccination distribution center, arranged by Jeffco Public Health. The first shots were administered shortly after 9 a.m. and ran through 4 p.m.
Before patients could get vaccinated they first had to go through a screening process which included if they were showing any signs of COVID-19 or if they were running a temperature.
Cars were set up in two lanes of three to enter the two bays at the training facility. Once administered, drivers, who stayed in their vehicle the entire time, pulled out of the bay into a waiting area of the parking lot for 15 to 30 minutes to monitor their symptoms after receiving the shot. Patients could get information on their vehicle radio available on 90.3 FM, including a reminder to set up an appointment for a second dose of the vaccine. If a driver wasn’t feeling well after receiving their shot, they were told to honk their horn and an EMT, already on site, would be there to assist them.
Arvada Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Deanna Harrington noted that no vaccines are kept on site.
Officials added that plans were to have drive-thru appointments from Jan. 26-28 as well depending on the availability of the vaccine.