More than 1,200 people today received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the former JCPenney store in the Danville Mall. The vaccination clinic was held for those eligible in the highest priority groups who had pre-registered and received appointments.
The store space is the newest site in the city for a large-scale clinic, and it will serve as Danville’s primary large-scale site through the summer and possibly beyond.
“Having a more convenient site available for folks to get a vaccine means more people vaccinated," City Manager Ken Larking said. "Our community can get back to normal at a quicker pace.”
The City of Danville worked with Hull Property Group, which owns and operates the mall, to secure the space.
Dr. Scott J. Spillmann, director of the Pittsylvania/Danville and Southside health districts, said securing the location is “another great step to protect our community.”
“We are so thankful to the Danville Mall,” Spillmann said. “The other sites were wonderful, but this one has the size, the (central) location and the familiarity.”
While other sites will continue to be used, Spillmann said the JCPenney site can be used multiple days a week and is capable of handling at least 3,000 people a day. That just depends on the amount of vaccines they’ll receive each week from the state.
"We can really handle in this space whatever they throw at us,” Spillmann said.
Though vaccine supply is improving, it remains limited. All Virginia health districts continue to vaccinate prioritized individuals in Phases 1a and 1b.
To pre-register for a future vaccination event, visit www.vaccinate.virginia.gov or call the COVID Vaccine Hotline at 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682). English- and Spanish-speaking operators are available. Translation services also are available, in more than 100 languages. Though vaccine supply is limited and not yet widely available, anyone may pre-register.
Pre-registering DOES NOT RESERVE A VACCINE OR CREATE AN APPOINTMENT, but it collects contact information so that when vaccine is available, VDH can contact you to make an appointment. Friends and family members may also pre-register for those with limited or no computer resources. ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
“Please be patient,” Spillmann said. “You will be contacted as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. Please do not pre-register multiple times.”
The Pittsylvania/Danville Health District operates clinics with cooperation and support from Sovah Health-Danville, the City of Danville, Pittsylvania County, the Averett University and Danville Community College Schools of Nursing, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Medical Reserve Corps volunteers.
For more information on COVID-19 in Virginia, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/.