SHORELINE, Wash. — The Shoreline Fire Department (SFD) held a soft opening of a kids COVID-19 vaccine clinic for two hundred students, Friday, in anticipation of a very busy weekend ahead.
"It's gonna be crazy," said fire department spokesperson Michelle Pidduck.
Shoreline Community College is hosting the clinic for newly eligible children in the school district between the ages of 5 and 11 -- doing its part to move the community one major step closer to ending the pandemic.
The clinic will have 2,600 shots available for kids. Currently, all appointments are filled and no walk-ups will be allowed.
The opportunity for kids to finally get vaccinated is something the Robertson family has been waiting for desperately for nearly 2 years -- and it's coming at just the right time.
"To have it before Thanksgiving it feels like the lid has come off and the opportunities to get together with friends and family are just limitless," said parent Betsy Robertson.
Betsy's 10-year-old daughter Darby is excited to soon be able to have sleepovers again and play sports without a mask, but there is just one thing.
"As I believe many kids are, she's not a fan of shots," said Betsy.
"I hate them," interjected Darby. "They're terrifying."
To make sure they get it right the first time the Shoreline Fire Department offered vaccinations to the first 200 children who signed up through the University of Washington.
The city had previously partnered with the university for mass vaccination clinics, making this next round of shots relatively seamless.
The community's diversity was also taken into account. Firefighters used lollipops and stickers to help wipe away the tears.
5-year-old Jordan Park did his duty without so much as a wince.
"He did great," said Jordan's dad C.J. "It was that easy!"
Shoreline and many school districts are scheduling 2-hour time slots to make sure there are enough shots to go around for everyone and keep the process flowing smoothly.
"It allows us to keep the line constantly moving and to have the expectation of how many vaccines to have on-site, as well as how many firefighters we need to have to administer the vaccines," said Pidduck.
SFD is currently working on a vaccination plan for newly eligible Kellogg and Einstein Middle School students.
It's unclear, right now, how many more Shoreline students still need to get vaccinated, but Darby is ready, even if she is a bit reluctant.
"If I have to get it for my safety then I will, even if I end up fainting on the spot," she said.
"Our school has a timeslot on Sunday from 10:30 to noon and we will absolutely be there high-fiving everybody in line," added her mom.
Children do need to get a second shot at least 21 days after the first.
Shoreline students who get their first shot this weekend will be scheduled for December 4-5 to get their second doses.