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Bellin launches its newest vaccination site, plans to use larger location for mass distribution

Posted at 10:37 PM, Jan 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-19 09:18:45-05

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (NBC26) -- A couple of months ago, a Covid-19 vaccine may have seemed a light-year away from Northeast Wisconsin.

But in the next month, some locals will have the chance to receive a dose right in their neighborhood.

"It's going really well," Bellin Health ICU Team Leader Jason Mattson said. "The clinic here is going great on day one. I couldn't be happier with the results we've got."

Monday, Bellin launched a new vaccination site at its Ashwaubenon clinic. The system says there hasn't been a shortage of people signing up to receive their vaccine.

"We've added police officer and fire personnel, so that's been really exciting to see all those members of our community come on in and get vaccinated," Clinical Operations Team Leader Jill Spejcher said.

The state is moving closer to Phase 1b, which allocates vaccines to first responders, essential workers and those over the age of 70. Bellin says nurses are ready to vaccinate the next phase with its Ashwaubenon site.

"Let's get that [vaccination] number higher," Mattson said. "We're getting 200 to 300 people a day coming in through the Bellin System."

On Monday, the Department of Health Services reports the state has been allocated over 600,000 doses. Bellin plans on introducing an even larger facility to carry the load.

"We are planning quickly to identify and launch a larger community space that can even further expand our capacity," Spejcher said.

Mattson works in the ICU. With the brutal conditions he's seen throughout the pandemic, he hopes the vaccine clinic in Ashwaubenon is a sign of a better future.

"Those rooms are completely packed with people," he said. "The nurses are burned out. Family members can't see their patients. And now to be offering this to the community, it hopefully allows nursing and doctors and health care to not be in that situation. It's a wonderful thing."

And Bellin plans to use the clinic to fill a large need.

"If we can expand into other phases, the [vaccination] goal or the maximum we have attempted to calculate is somewhere between 500 and 600 a day," Spejcher said.

According to the health system, for anyone wondering if they're eligible to receive a vaccine at this stage, the best piece of advice is to call Bellin directly.