Short waits, swift shots: Sutter Gould ramps up with COVID-19 vaccine hub in Modesto
Coronavirus vaccinations were on a roll Wednesday at a Sutter Gould Medical Foundation hub in Modesto.
Maria Marcelino, 70, had an appointment and got right in. Soon after an initial screening and the check-in process, she waited for a few minutes in line and then was seated next to a medical assistant, who asked her a few questions.
Marcelino indicated she didn’t even feel the shot injected in her right arm. She sat for 15 minutes in a monitoring area before going home.
“I am a diabetic and I have high blood pressure,” the Delhi woman had said, while briefly standing in line. “I want to get it. I am scared.”
Sutter Gould ramped up its COVID-19 vaccination effort by opening the clinic operation in Modesto on Feb. 1.
Sutter officials said that specially designed vaccine hubs in Modesto, Sacramento and Roseville together can inoculate 3,000 patients per day. Sutter is faced with vaccinating upward of 1 million patients who use its medical services between the Modesto and Greater Sacramento areas. Information on how many vaccines the multicounty entity is getting was not available.
The Modesto center has qualified staff at 10 stations for administering the shots and can expand to 15. Sutter Gould patients can also arrange for getting a COVID vaccination at locations in Ceres, Tracy and Stockton. Those eligible can schedule an appointment through an online portal or by calling a hotline.
The eligible patients right now are residents age 65 and older and some remaining community health workers who still need the jabs. “Once we hear from the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we will expand eligibility,” said Sara Perez, the supervisor and site lead for the Modesto hub. “But for now we are following what the requirements are.”
The availability of vaccine will determine how quickly eligibility is expanded. Sutter staff said they’re capable of adding more vaccination sites if the state allocates more doses to entities like Sutter that serve patients in multiple counties.
Kaiser Permanente is administering vaccine for eligible patients at medical offices in Modesto, Manteca and Stockton by appointment.
Sutter does not publicize the location of the Modesto vaccine hub in order to keep people from walking up to the door. The clinic is for eligible Sutter Gould patients who make an appointment.
“It’s set up really nice,” said Judy Hallisey, a patient. “It’s been very smooth. I like that, too.”
Hallisey said it was a mother-and-daughter visit to the clinic Wednesday. Her 97-year-old mother began asking for the vaccine immediately after the first approval of the Pfizer vaccine in December. Her mother’s age and medical conditions make her vulnerable to the virus.
Perez said there is no need for patients to arrive early for their appointment. People arriving are greeted outside the door and proceed to an initial screening, which asks if they’ve had symptoms or a positive test result for COVID-19. The next step is the check-in desk.
Patients, spaced 6 feet apart, get in a line that moves through a hallway and within minutes they’re parceled out to available stations for getting a shot. Patients are given a date for coming back for the second dose, which is 28 days for Moderna vaccine and 21 days for Pfizer.
Nurses ask the patients if they have a history of reactions to vaccinations. Those who answer “yes” are monitored for 30 minutes; otherwise, patients are watched for 15 minutes before they leave.
Wendy Rogers, a medical assistant, said she has worked for the vaccination team since Sutter began inoculating its front-line staff 2 1/2 months ago.
Rogers said most patients are excited to get the vaccination that’s considered more than 90 percent effective. Some are in tears after feeling anxious for months about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I feel like I am doing my part to help,” Rogers said.
Guidelines for COVID vaccinations
Sutter tries to inform people about the guidelines for COVID-19 vaccinations. Anyone who’s had a flu shot or some other vaccine needs to wait for at least 15 days before getting a coronavirus shot. The vaccine is not recommended for a person who’s tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 30 days.
Those getting the first shot should make sure they don’t have travel or work commitments that will keep them from getting the second dose a few weeks later. Patients must return to the same location for the second dose.
A person who has previously experienced an anaphylactic reaction to a vaccine should first consult with their doctor before getting a shot for COVID-19, said Dr. David Peterson, chief medical officer for Sutter Gould.
“When going in for the vaccine be sure to let people know you had reactions in the past, so we can pay attention to you or prolong our observation,” Peterson said.
Todd Smith, chief executive officer of Sutter Gould, said the group does everything it can to educate patients about the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. About 60 percent of people in the United States plan to get a vaccination for the coronavirus, according to the Pew Research Center, citing a survey conducted in November.
Peterson said a survey including about 100 physicians at Sutter Gould showed 98 percent were intent on getting the vaccination. He said he uses the figure in talking with patients who are undecided.
“The vaccine is our best way of minimizing the personal and community impact from the illness,” Peterson said.
This story was originally published February 11, 2021 at 8:57 AM.
