GREENFIELD — When you ask Robert Strahan or Jennifer Hoffman about the COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the John Zon Community Center, where they’ve spent much of their time over the past few months, they’ll tell you it is the “outstanding volunteer help” they get each day that helps keep it running so smoothly.
The two, who have not only done their jobs as fire chief and health director, respectively, for the city, but have run Greenfield’s Emergency Operations Center, said it was important to juggle their responsibilities to keep the city safe.
“We couldn’t have done the vaccine clinic without all the help we’ve had,” Hoffman said. “Volunteers have done everything from greet people and take their temperatures, to help people register for a vaccine, to observing them after being vaccinated or giving them their first and second shots. The entire city has worked together on this.”
Volunteers have included everyone from medical professionals to city councilors and employees on their “off” time, to business owners, municipal employees and residents from all over the county. Those vaccinated have included people from all over the county and across the state, as is required by the state.
Strahan has managed the Emergency Operations Center, which started out early in the pandemic providing information about COVID-19. He and Hoffman then worked with others to get testing and contact tracing up and running, and to provide a hotline.
“When the state required us to shut down, the city realized it didn’t have the capacity to do all of this on its own, so we formed partnerships and it all became a community effort,” Strahan said. “We managed and ran much of it, but we needed help.”
Greenfield has continued to ramp up its efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible, and Strahan and Hoffman said it will continue to do so at least into June.
“We’ve set priorities and gotten the word out about the vaccine,” Strahan said. “So many, including the sheriff’s office, have helped.”
The city receives as many as 1,000 vaccines each week, though there are times it has received significantly less. As one drives into the parking lot, after making an appointment online or by phone, it’s difficult at times to find a parking space, but it isn’t long before one becomes available.
People arrive a few minutes before their appointments and are greeted at the door with questions about whether they are experiencing any symptoms. A health screening that includes taking everyone’s temperature is done without contact. Everyone wears a mask and practices social distancing. Ushers walk people to the sign-in table and it isn’t long before they are seated in one of several vaccination areas.
“A volunteer approaches and asks your name and date of birth,” volunteer and Charlemont Fire Chief Dennis Annear said. “We have a series of questions for everyone, including whether they are allergic to any medications.”
If someone is allergic to something, a nurse is notified and speaks with the person before they are vaccinated. If they have an allergy, they are asked to sit for 30 minutes after their shot, while everyone else waits for 15 minutes.
“Volunteers watch people until they know they can leave safely,” Strahan said. “Once someone leaves, a volunteer comes behind them and cleans and disinfects the area for the next person.”
Strahan said there haven’t been any serious reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine at the clinic, though it has an emergency area, just in case.
Hoffman said vaccines — Greenfield had been receiving Moderna most recently — are drawn in a separate room and brought to those waiting for them. Appointments for second shots are made when the first shot has been given. Volunteers and off-duty firefighters were making the second appointments one recent day.
All traffic through the building goes one way, so there’s little opportunity for getting closer than 6 feet from each other, but if a couple comes in together they are kept in their little “pod” throughout the process, according to Strahan and Hoffman, who also said they are fine-tuning operations all the time to make it easier on everyone.
The Command Room is where staff members and others meet or take a few minutes to themselves.
“We’re still in a state of emergency,” Strahan said. “Staff meets every morning. We’re going to get through this and hopefully when all is done, most of Franklin County will be vaccinated.”
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.