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Vaccinating our nation's heroes in West Texas

The West Texas VA is approaching 3,000 veterans vaccinated.

BIG SPRING, Texas — Pull up, get screened and get your vaccine. 

"It's amazing how they get this many people through here. They've done a good job," Sam Douglas, army veteran said. 

"Our major challenge is people like to come early, get it done quickly. We first started out doing two lanes and about two weeks ago, mid-way through we went ahead and jumped into three lanes, quickly adjusted. The team we have out here is great," said Michael Batterton, Assistant Chief of Health Administration Services. 

Rain or shine, West Texas VA staff seem to always find a way to pull it off. 

"Our first one we did tape, we had tape down to tape off our lanes but it was cloudy that day, 28 degrees and a little wet. Couldn't see it so adjusted and now we use these small cones," Batterton said. 

They vaccinated 300 veterans with appointments today and helped about a dozen more get signed up in their healthcare system. 

"Once we get them down there it's like 30, 40 seconds a shot and we're moving through," Batterton said. 

The more veterans vaccinated, the better. 

"Obviously we're vaccinating for the coronavirus. That is super important. And now we're vaccinating our nation's heroes which is even more important," Batterton said.

The West Texas VA's next priority is to vaccinate at their community-based outpatient clinics. 

These clinics are for veterans who can't make it to Big Spring. 

They'll be vaccinating in Odessa this Friday, Hobbs next Friday and Abilene the following Friday. 

    

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