Hilltop Pharmacy vaccinates 700 during weekend clinic

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh firefighters were among the first to roll up their sleeves to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Now they’re actively involved in helping Hilltop Pharmacy with their vaccination clinics,

“These fire guys have been incredible for us,” Alex Lavella, with Hilltop Pharmacy, said. “They are the ones running our check-in tables right now and keep the lines flowing.”

Hilltop Pharmacy has been holding vaccine clinics for the last couple months throughout the Pittsburgh area, with he latest on Sunday at the Pittsburgh Firefighters Local #1 hall in Hazelwood.

“They’re here volunteering. They’re here at 8 a.m. to put the chairs up for us. They come back at seven to help us clean up I couldn’t have asked for a greater group of gentlemen,” Lavella said.

In late December, city firefighters got vaccinated. And since then, they’ve played an active role helping Hilltop Pharmacy.

“It’s been really rewarding,” Tim Leech, vice president of the firefighters union, said. “We were very thankful and fortunate to be included in the first group of people to be vaccinated and we’re very thankful to allow Hilltop to use our space to continue to vaccinate the population. And the goal is to get everyone vaccinated from this virus.”

During this clinic, Duquesne pharmacy students put 700 doses into arms. Second doses were given to 350 people in the morning. And in the afternoon, 350 first doses were given to the most vulnerable population, 75 and older.

“I’m relieved to get the second shot,” Mary Jane Griffin of Point Breeze said, “You know I’m 81 years old and I don’t have any underlying illnesses, thank God. But my husband does. So I’m doing it for him.”

The pharmacy which is family owned, also bused in people from Allentown who didn’t have transportation.

“So we try to take our biggest highest risk category and get them in and get them taken care of while the first doses are still so few and far between,” Lavella said.

Hilltop Pharmacy has another clinic scheduled next weekend but is still waiting on a shipment of the vaccine.

The pharmacy also held a food drive at the clinic. They asked people getting vaccinated to bring food item to the clinic. 412 Food Rescue will distribute the food.

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Cox Media Group