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Virginia Beach retirement community employees, residents receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Hundreds of people at Atlantic Shores were vaccinated against COVID-19. They'll get their second doses in the coming weeks.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — More than 250 Atlantic Shores Retirement Community employees and residents received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Monday.

"We're really excited," said Executive Director, Jenny Maugeri, gleefully. "A little bit of fear, a little bit of everything all at the same time, but this is such a big step for our community to move forward."

Maugeri says they received the same number of doses they were planning to be distributed to their center. The retirement home teamed up with CVS to safely administer the vaccine.

One of the residents, Bob Adams, said he was ready for his COVID-19 vaccine. 

"It's my ticket out of here," said Adams. He says he's been able to have the occasional visitor, but hasn't been able to be close with his family. He says he can't wait to physically be close to his children once again.

"I got a daughter and her family here. I got a son and his family. So, absolutely I'd like to hug them," said Adams.

One employee, Cameron Gwaltney, received his vaccine Monday. 

He said he wanted to wait until the other employees and residents received it before him, but he was proud to be a part of the effort to end the pandemic.

"We're truly grateful and excited to be doing this today," said Gwaltney. "We were coordinating with the state and local officials to get it here...so we can jumpstart 2021 in the best way possible."

According to the CDC guidelines, Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCF) residents and those ages 75 or older are in Phases 1a and 1b for the COVID-19 vaccine priority list.

The second round of doses for the 250 recipients will be administered on Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

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