Nearly All Mapleton Public Schools Teachers, Staff Get COVID Vaccine In Just 1 Day

THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4) - Nearly an entire Front Range school district was able to get its staff and teachers their first dose of vaccine in one afternoon. On Friday, a busy yet organized vaccination clinic happened in the lobby of North Suburban Medical Center for Mapleton Public Schools.

"As soon as we knew it was an opportunity everyone marked it in their calendar. It was great to see everyone show up today and really excited," said Eriksen Van Etten the Director of York International School. "My school specifically has about 800 kids in it, everything from Kindergarten up until 12th grade. Seventy teachers in our building and I think almost all of them came to get their first shot today."

Mapleton has about 7,000 students with 4,500 attending in-person school since the beginning of the calendar year.

"To see this happen now, we're just going to end the year on such a positive note, so we feel proud," Van Etten said.

The HealthONE hospital teamed up with COVID Check Colorado, part of Gary Community Investments, to hold one of its biggest events yet.

"We've been running community clinics for EMS providers as well as our 70 plus and now 65 plus population. We've been doing these clinics almost every day, we've been doing them about six days a week at this point," said Dr. Melissa Miller the Director of Pharmacy at North Suburban.

A total of 550 teachers and staff received their first dose on Friday, another 250 are scheduled for next week.

"Getting to see how excited and how enthusiastic everyone is, it's really contagious for us. We're thrilled to be able to be a part of it," said Dr. Miller. "It feels like we're finally on the offensive a little bit and a little bit less on the defensive which is such a fantastic feeling."