Some lucky Americans were presented with a surprise vaccine against coronavirus while shopping at a supermarket. Others followed social media rumors to make a dose.
But six people in Oregon on Tuesday managed to secure their shot because they were stuck on a snowy highway in the right place at the right time.
Josephine County officials near the California border were holding a three-day COVID-19 vaccination event at a local school when they had to close early. “A snowstorm was coming during the clinic and we had to leave before the vaccines were administered,” Josephine County Public Health Director Mike Weber told BuzzFeed News.
The team had six leftover doses of Moderna vaccine, reserved for individuals in the nearby town of Grants Pass, but a snowy road accident caused a traffic jam.
Knowing that they would be stuck for a long time, and that the Modern injection had only six hours left of its useful life, they started to work looking for other stuck drivers who might want a surprise vaccine.
“We got out and started driving from car to car,” said Weber.
In the midst of heavy snowfall and on a snow-covered road, the team had to convince drivers that it was no joke.
“It was a mixture of reactions,” said Weber. “Most people thought it was funny. It’s a fun situation to find yourself in. It’s not something most people expect!”
One man was so happy that he even got out of the car and tore off his shirt to get the injection.
“He was doing a happy dance in his chair when he finally believed that we would really give him a vaccine,” said Weber.
Another woman who received a dose worked for the local sheriff’s office and was actually on her way to the vaccination clinic when time was running out.
The lucky six will receive cards in the mail, allowing them to return to their booster doses in four weeks.
Weber said it is one of the coolest operations he has ever been involved in.
“This is what public health does: we are here to help the community,” he said. “At the moment, the best thing we can do for the community is to distribute these vaccines.”