LOWELL — Crowds of COVID-19 vaccine seekers arrived at the Lowell General Hospital clinic on Pawtucket Boulevard yesterday and were excited they would be receiving the Johnson & Johnson one-and-done shot, according to Will Courtney, manager of media and public relations for the hospital.
Courtney and Amy Hoey, chief operating officer for the hospital, expected 2,000 people on Thursday would get the one-dose solution to ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
By 1 p.m., the hospital had administered a total of 25,000 COVID-19 vaccines since the hospital started giving vaccinations in January.
Courtney saw the number of doses change on a sign hanging at the vaccination clinic in the Cross River Center. But he hurriedly added that the number does not represent 25,000 different individuals vaccinated. Some of the number of vaccinated individuals have had both doses, while others just the first.
LGH has also been offering mobile clinics in the community at organizations such as the Lowell Transitional Living Center and House of Hope. Vaccinators have also, in special cases, been able to go to homes. LTLC staff also have worked with LGH to get vaccinations to the street homeless and have had success in getting second doses to that population.
Until Thursday, LGH could offer only the vaccines requiring two doses — Moderna and Pfizer — to patients. But the state sent 5,000 doses of the one-and-done J&J vaccine to Lowell on Wednesday.
Hoey expects the numbers of the fully vaccinated to multiply quickly, “We expect the trajectory to go up rapidly because with J&J we won’t need to backstop” inventory for second doses,” she said.
The LGH team arrived at Cross River Center on Thursday prepared to educate people about the new vaccine. They were concerned that people might have fears about the new vaccine due to news reports and some concerns expressed by Roman Catholic bishops.
Media reporting on the vaccine initially presented a misleading picture about its effectiveness. Tests of Moderna and Pfizer showed between 94% and 95% efficacy whereas J&J was about 70%. However, Moderna and Pfizer were not tested in regions with COVID-19 variations, such as South Africa. Due to timing, J&J had that more extensive testing.
The effectiveness of annual flu shots is between 40% and 60%, according to literature on that vaccine.
“We had a handful of people who had a lot of questions,” Hoey said. But all except one, stayed to be vaccinated, she added.
“We stay anchored to the science, whatever the science says in responding to the questions,” she said
She assured them that the J&J vaccine is “100% effective against hospitalization.”
Those who came for the vaccine Thursday were impressed with how well organized the operation is. Many came from outside Greater Lowell because they heard about the arrival of J&J vaccines and quickly made appointments.
William Kilbride of Northboro said, “I got here as quick as I could after I saw the appointment open up.” He determined the vaccine is safe “when Dr. Fauci said it is.” He called his stepson to let him know about it and he came on Tuesday.
Sitting in the waiting area after the shot, Barbara Babbitt of Melrose said she “was very well pleased” by the experience. Pointing to a clock on the wall, she said she had arrived with her daughter at 1 p.m. The clock read 1:25 p.m. In less than 25 minutes, she stood in line, moved to the registration area, was escorted to one of the vaccination stations, and then went to the waiting area for the recommended 15 minutes in case of a reaction.
Kathy Diamantopoulos made her way to the center from Hudson Street in Lowell (the Back Central neighborhood) using the Lowell Regional Transit Authority. It dropped her off at the new Market Basket, so she had her first chance to survey that store. Like the others who received vaccines Thursday, she saw the opportunity open for an appointment and moved in quickly to sign up.
Cross River Center is a huge building — first built by Wang Laboratories for manufacturing, then occupied by MACOM before becoming a multi-tenant facility. Farley and White, now owners of the building, stepped forward to offer some of the space to LGH.
The building boasts 836,000 square feet configured with cavernous spaces once used for computer manufacturing and distribution. The vaccine clinic operates out of approximately half of the first floor of the building. Eventually, the hospital expects to be vaccinating 5,000 people a day with extended hours and more staff.
In the coming days, the vaccine available for first doses will vary depending on availability. Individuals will not be able to pick their vaccine from a menu of choices. If Moderna or Pfizer is the vaccine of the day, then that is what will be administered. There will be a “finite” number of the other vaccinations available for those coming for second doses.