DUBLIN, Ga. — Veterans who call the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center home are continuing to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Medical Center received its first shipment of the Moderna vaccine last week, and now the medical center director says the rollout is going well.
Lester Porter was the first veteran at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center to get vaccinated.
"I haven't been afraid of dying every day, but I did not want to get sick and die," he said.
The Dublin VA says the WWII veteran received the vaccine two days before his 97th birthday. Porter getting his vaccine is a small part of the VA's plan to help all of their veterans and frontline workers.
"It's been going quite well. In our auditorium, we have set up a large area for us to be able to deliver the vaccine," said Medical Center Director David Whitmer.
Whitmer says staff members who get their vaccine in the auditorium are also observed afterward.
So far, the Dublin VA has vaccinated about 80% of veterans that call the VA home.
"We are actually expecting to receive additional doses in the next few days and we are really excited," Whitmer said.
They plan to vaccinate veterans with underlying health conditions who are over 75 next.
"If they have hypertension for example, or diabetes, or perhaps a previous cancer diagnosis, we will start contacting them, and then scheduling them to come and get a vaccination here in Dublin," Whitmer said.
He says neither staff nor veterans have had any adverse reactions to the vaccine.
Their hope is to give vets like Lester a winning chance in the fight against COVID-19.
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