Thousands of people got their COVID-19 vaccine during a 24-hour Vax-A-Thon event in Hartford.
Trinity Health of New England's 24-hour Vax-A-Thon has made it past their half way point, aiming to distribute 4,000 doses during their continuous COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
The Vax-A-Thon event, which began at 5 p.m. Friday, was held at the Artists Collective building on Hartford's Albany Avenue.
“We should’ve done this a long time ago,” said Trinity Health of New England President and CEO Dr. Reggy Eadie.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
The 24-hour event is for residents 16 and older, though those under 18 must have consent from a guardian or parent. Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be administered at today’s event in addition to some Pfizer vaccines.
"The mission is simply to ensure that our communities of color, our diverse communities that have been impacted so much more than the rest of the country during this pandemic also have an opportunity," added Dr. Syed Hussain, Chief Clinical Officer.
Before the doors even opened, people were lined up and the lines remained steady throughout the night, stretching around the building outside.
"I’m happy man," said Pat Rogers of Hartford." I’ve been waiting for months and months trying to get it."
“It actually has a pretty cool ring to it. Like, it sounds like a party, a vaccine party,” said Alisha Saxon of Waterbury.
Local
It’s a party with plenty of shots: 4,000 COVID-19 vaccinations. Johnson & Johnson and some Pfizer vaccinations were administered nonstop through 5 p.m. Saturday.
Organizers expect to cycle through 200 people per hour until closing Saturday.
