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Gateway Mall seeing increase in patients since vaccine availability expanded

Kimber Kipp, FEMA spokesperson for the Gateway vaccine site says when there was a pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccines in April their numbers dropped.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The Gateway Mall COVID-19 vaccination site is reporting an increase in patients since vaccine availability has expanded.

“We’re busier than we have been in the last several weeks," said Kimber Kipp, FEMA spokesperson for the Gateway vaccine site. 

Kipp says when there was a pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccines in April their numbers dropped dramatically. 

Sunday they administered 169 shots and in total Gateway has given out over 83,000 shots.

“I think it is possible that people are finding out that our site is going to be closing the evening of the 25th," said Kipp. 

Kipp says since individuals 12 years of age and older are allowed to get vaccinated, she’s been seeing a lot more families.

“The lift of the masks for those who have been vaccinated are also prompting more people to come in," said Kipp. 

“I think as the months go by people are going to come to their senses and they’re going to be like you know I’m going to go ahead and take the vaccine," said James Sanders, a patient from the Gateway site.

Sanders says he was hesitant about getting the vaccine at first.

“Communications started coming out and coming in the neighborhoods and educated people and everything and I felt kind of safe then," said Sanders. 

Sanders says he encourages others to get the shot so we can get back to normal.

“If everybody gets their shots we can stop wearing these masks, that’s the main thing because I’m tired of wearing these," said Sanders.

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