PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney did his promised inspection of a city-run vaccine clinic Wednesday morning and said he was impressed by the operation. The mayor's visit is part of the effort to restore faith in the city's vaccine program.
When the city pulled the plug on its relationship with the now-discredited group Philly Fighting COVID, there were about 7,000 people who'd gotten their first shot from the group and had no clear idea where they'd get their second shot.
Related
“I wasn't really more concerned about if I could get that second shot but when. Is it going to be in that four-week window?” said pharmacist Lance Wetzel.
He was relieved to get an email from the city almost immediately inviting him to the clinic at the convention center. He did notice a difference this time around.
Related
“The first time around was a lot simpler. It was very easy going. This was a lot more checkpoints,” he noted.
A tighter process is part of the city's goal.
Kenney said the clinic is an important step in restoring faith in the vaccine program after its association with Philly fighting COVID, but he also pointed out Philadelphia still has among the highest vaccination rates in the country.
“There was certainly a mistake made with these guys, downstairs, it's being corrected — what they caused — and I think it's unfair not to recognize all the good work the Health Department has done in this,” Kenney said.