ORLANDO, Fla. – It was a normal summer day in Orlando. There were children playing on the playgrounds. You could hear the sound of basketballs bouncing in the distance. Families were gathered swimming at the community pool.
But there was a different event grabbing the attention of dozens of families at the Rosemont Community Center in Orlando. A mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic was parked in the lot Tuesday afternoon.
[TRENDING: Orange County recommends masks again| Disney welcomes baby hippo | 5 things to know about protests in Cuba]
Jess Roundtree was first in line to get his shot outside of the Rosemont Community Center. His wife, Stephanie Powers, already got her vaccine about a year ago.
“At first I was hesitant because I didn’t know if there were going to be any side effects,” Roundtree said.
“I thought it was silly because we all got it and no side effects,” Powers said.
With his sleeves rolled, Roundtree got his shot, choosing the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” mobile clinic is making its rounds to neighborhoods across Orlando in the next couple months to provide more access to families. The clinic is run by the Florida Department of Health in Orange County.
“We can mask up, we can social distance and try not to talk about this, but the reality is that this is an unvaccinated pandemic,” health department director Dr. Raul Pino said.
Pino was pleading for more people to get vaccinated as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. During a news conference Monday, he announced that Orange County has a vaccination rate of 59%. That’s one percentage point over the state average.
One by one, News 6 saw people showing up to the mobile site in Rosemont. Some people were less hesitant and decided to get their shot.
“I know there’s a lot of cases out there, so it feels right to do it,” Roundtree said.
Some parents who were already vaccinated brought their children to the vaccination site so they can get that added protection ahead of the new school year.
“I’m not used to shots. I’m nervous. But it will be easier to walk around without a mask on,” 12-year-old Empress Peterson said.
Peterson held on to her mom’s hand as she received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Peterson’s mom was already vaccinated and said bringing her daughter to the vaccination site was a no-brainer.
“I don’t want her to get sick. I’m proud of her,” Rochelle Peterson said.
Leshon Byrd is also a vaccinated parent who brought his teenage son to the mobile vaccination clinic.
“It’s very important that we all do our part. He (my son) did his,” Byrd said.
The “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” mobile clinic will be at the Dr. James R. Smith Neighborhood Center Wednesday. The community center is located at 1723 Bruton Blvd. in Orlando.
The mobile clinic offers Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines. The mobile clinic will be at the Dr. Smith neighborhood center from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. No appointment is necessary and the vaccines are free.
Click here for a full schedule and list of locations where the mobile vaccine clinic will be visiting through August.