Let me start off by saying this, it's still not easy getting a vaccine appointment but it's getting better. Sure I had offers to cut the line and get my protection from the coronavirus early on, but I chose not to take advantage of it. Even though I'm a cancer survivor, it didn't feel right, so I didn't do it. I went through the same process that everyone else is going through and thanks to my wife, Kristine, staying on top of the online signups... she managed to get one scheduled through Giant Eagle.
Watch the video to see my journey and what you could experience if you go through the 4-day vaccination clinic at Heinz Field. I have to say it was a well-organized, smooth process from start to finish. From the moment you enter the line, you're greeted by pleasant people who make sure that you have an appointment and usher you inside.
Once they do a quick check of your medical information they direct you to the next station where they give you the scoop on which vaccine you're getting and remind you of your next appointment for the second dose. In my case, it's the Pfizer vaccine and I'm back in three weeks at the same time.
As I move into the next line you can see there's lots of space. No one is on top of anyone else. There's a small army of staff that has this process running like a friendly machine.
Next stop is the vaccination station where I'm greeted by people wishing everyone who comes by with "Happy Vaccine Day!" There's no angst in the air, just a lot of positivity and a calming relief. The shot itself took less than a minute. The biggest wait comes after the shot, when you have to chill out for fifteen minutes just in case of any side effects.
Since I didn't have any. We were in and out like Domino's... 30 minutes or less. You can see in the video, there's no special treatment for me. It's the same smooth, simple process for everyone.
When it concludes on March 5th, they will have vaccinated 4,000 people. There are no open slots left for the Giant Eagle clinic at Heinz Field, but they are adding appointments at Giant Eagle locations as supplies come in. You can watch for those appointments and future mass vaccination sites on their website portal: Giant Eagle COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Clinics
