On Thursday, Good News Clinics took its vaccine supply to the Pilgrim's Pride poultry processing plant where medical assistant staff and volunteer providers vaccinated 217 employees.
Mike Giles, president of the Georgia Poultry Federation and Good News Clinics board member, said it is not easy for employees working full-time to get an appointment for the vaccine.
"We think that access to the vaccine for employees at their workplace is the way we think will... make it more convenient for people who want to take the vaccine to receive it," Giles said.
In order to see who was interested in receiving the vaccine, Pilgrim's Pride administered a survey to all employees. As the most vulnerable employees received their Pfizer vaccine, others lined up to get theirs as well.
Eight stations were set up in the facility and distribution took just under three hours. Another clinic is planned for mid-April to administer second doses.
“The work to take care of the essential workers who take such good care of us is important," Liz Coates, Executive Director at Good News Clinics, said in a press release. "This was the first work site vaccination clinic in the poultry industry in the poultry processing capital of the world, and Good News Clinics was glad to be part of it.”
Giles said he wants every facility in Georgia to have an opportunity like the one presented at Pilgrim's Pride.
"We're communicating directly with the poultry companies and with public health at the district and state level," Giles said. "And in some cases, in other parts of the state, partnering with local hospitals that have the resources and the willingness to go on site to vaccinate employees."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2021/3/991944/over-200-vaccinated-at-pilgrims-pride-poultry-processing-plant