WINDSOR, ONT. -- A first of its kind in Chatham-Kent Thursday as vaccinations were offered at a mobile drive through-clinic in Wheatley.

“They’re signed up, they’re here and they’re anxious to have their vaccine,” says longtime nurse practitioner, Willi Kirenko.

Chatham-Kent Public Health teamed up with the CK Health Alliance and CK EMS to vaccinate 310 people. Recipients showed up, by appointment during Thursday’s event to get the Moderna shot.

“It’s really a great opportunity to provide some access for vaccines in outlying communities, to kind of meet people where they’re at and bring the vaccine to them,” says Carina Caryn, one of the operational leads from Chatham-Kent Public Health.

From beginning to end, the whole process took roughly 20 minutes, 15 of that just waiting around as a precaution after the jab.

“We’re proud to be part of something that is a huge piece of medical history here,” says Donald MacLellan of Chatham-Kent EMS.

The feedback from vaccine recipients was nothing but praise.

“It was really slick. Come in and out quick, everything went smooth,” says Tom Hyman, whose wife Darlene called it “a piece of cake.”

Jesse Loveday has been looking forward to getting the shot as he works as a medic at a local greenhouse facility.

“A little bit a nerves obviously, but super excited to get it,” Loveday says.

Carol Cedar is hoping the shot will allow her to regain some freedom.

“It’s the first step, yes to getting back to some sort of normalcy, because enough is enough with these lockdowns,” she says.

“It’s like a million pounds off your shoulders,” exclaimed Doug Walker, a Wheatley resident and cancer survivor. He’s been calling other nearby regions in Windsor and London looking for the shot, with no luck.

“One phone call here, one phone call, they called me, said here’s your appointment, here you go,” Walker says, adding he’s an essential worker who has endured 34 COVID tests to ensure a safe workplace for him and others.

“You have that next armament against this enemy, that’s the enemy of all of us. So now we have that defence,” he says.

Public Health officials are watching Thursday’s roll out with keen interest.

“We’re testing this model today and we’ll look at the feasibility of it in another community,” says Caryn.