Health

More than 400 people receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Dillingham's clinic

KDLG 670AM | By Izzy Ross

Published February 16, 2021 at 2:27 PM AKST

Dillingham's clinic Saturday was the first since the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation opened vaccinations to anyone over the age of 18.

The Dillingham High School gym hummed with activity Saturday. Health care workers sat at tables spread across the room, as people waited for a dose of the Moderna vaccine.

Health care workers prepare vaccine doses for patients at Dillingham's second COVID-19 vaccine clinic. Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021.

It was Dillingham’s second weekend clinic, and the first since the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation opened the vaccine clinic to anyone over the age of 18.

Patricia Owens was among a group waiting patiently on the gym's hard plastic bleachers. She had just received her second shot of the two-step vaccine.

“I want to be healthy for my community and the people around me. I want to be able to see my mom and my grandkids," she said.

People who get vaccinated can still spread COVID-19. But Owens said getting the shot gives her hope that it’ll be safer for her to travel and see her family; her mom is 87 and lives in Palmer.

Susie Jenkins-Brito administers a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to Kristin Smeaton during Dillingham's clinic on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021.

“In fact, I wanted to ask somebody when can I go see my mom. And my grandkids!" she said. "I’ve got lots of grandkids. They live in Anchorage, so it’s been over a year since I’ve seen them.”

Kimberly Williams, a Curyung Tribal Council member chief, was among those who volunteered at the clinic. She is also an essential worker with Tanana Air, so she had already received her second dose.

“I got my second dose and I went smelting on Saturday and Sunday, so you can tell the vaccine didn’t hit me at all,” she said.

The clinic was organized by the health corporation in partnership with the Tribe, the City, and the state-run Dillingham Public Health Clinic.

Dillingham's second vaccine clinic was held Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021.

Once people got their shot, workers with the Tribe handed them a blue tote bag.

“So the Tribe, through our CARES money that we have received from the Department of Treasury, have put together CARES kits," she explained. "we have our Tribal administrator here and some workers giving out masks, gloves, a thermometer, an O2 sat machine so that if you do get COVID you’re able to monitor your oxygen saturation level.”

Williams said the clinic is going well, although they’re not as busy as she’d like to see.

“I’m helping with the vaccination and filling out the cards, and they have nine stations here, and not every station is busy at the same time," she said. "I would love for us to all be busy giving out the vaccinations.”

The clinic was structured to serve Elders and those considered high-risk during separate hours. But the stream of people showing up to get the vaccine was slow enough that nobody was turned away when they arrived.

In the bleachers, Sierra Roehl, 22, waits with her younger brother, Joseph.

“I’m relieved, yeah,” said Joseph, who is 19 and works at the N&N grocery store.

Sierra and Joseph Roehl received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Dillingham's clinic. Feb. 13, 2021.

“We got our second dose today," Sierra said. "It was so short. We actually came a little earlier than noon, and we were kind of able to sneak by and get our shots right away. And it feels pretty good — a lot faster process than the last time.”

Sierra is the assistant manager of Bayside Diner and the Bristol Inn, and receiving the vaccine brings her hope.

“I can’t wait to open more, for the community to have dine-in at the diner, and then have more business. Because obviously this whole summer, winter has been so slow," she said. "So the summertime — we’re really hoping that a lot of people in the community are able to be a lot more comfortable with this situation going on to allow us to get more income and revenue for the business during the summer here.”