COVID-19 vaccination clinics held in Sikeston

SIKESTON — Sabrina Crow said she’s experienced the full spectrum of COVID-19, which is why she opted to receive her first dose of the vaccine on Wednesday during an appointment-only clinic at the First Christian Church in Sikeston.

“I’ve seen the easiest and worst-case scenarios with COVID,” the Sikeston resident said.

In November, Crow and some of her family members contracted the coronavirus. Her husband and son were fine. Crow and her daughter both tested positive for COVID-19.

Missouri Delta Medical Center employees straighten the COVID-19 vaccine clinic registration table as they wait for the next clients Wednesday during an appointment-only clinic at First Christian Church in Sikeston.Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat

Missouri Delta Medical Center employees straighten the COVID-19 vaccine clinic registration table as they wait for the next clients Wednesday during an appointment-only clinic at First Christian Church in Sikeston.Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat

“My daughter felt sick for a day,” Crow recalled.

Crow said she was sick for 10 days with her oxygen level falling as low as 82%. While she was never hospitalized, Crow said she felt horrible. Her symptoms included painful muscles aches, loss of taste and smell and extreme fatigue. Crow, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, said she already had nebulizers on hand and used those, which she thinks helped prevent her from having to be hospitalized.

Crow’s 68-year-old mother also contracted COVID-19, but she didn’t tell her family she was having any symptoms until it was nearly too late, Crow said. She was ultimately placed on a ventilator and died from COVID-19-related pneumonia, Crow said about her mother.

Residents who just received their COVID-19 vaccine wait in a designated area Wednesday during an appointment-only clinic at First Christian Church in Sikeston.Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat

Residents who just received their COVID-19 vaccine wait in a designated area Wednesday during an appointment-only clinic at First Christian Church in Sikeston.Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat

“Some people take it (COVID-19) as a joke. This is serious,” Crow said, adding COVID affects everyone in different ways.

So when the opportunity arose to receive the vaccine through a clinic offered by Missouri Delta Medical Center, Crow said she jumped at the chance.

“It wasn’t bad,” Crow said about receiving the vaccine.

Freddie Rutledge of rural Sikeston agreed.

“I’ve had no issues. It didn’t hurt,” Rutledge said following his vaccination.

Rutledge also received his first dose of of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine during the clinic offered through Missouri Delta Medical Center. Since Jan. 1, employees with the Sikeston hospital have administered over 6,000 COVID-19 vaccines. Clinics continued Thursday and Friday at First Christian Church.

Rutledge said the process to receive the vaccine is a fairly simple one.

Once an appointment for the vaccine has been established, when the individual arrives for their appointment, they’re asked to fill out a patient consent form, which asks for name, address, date of birth, phone number, whether its the first or second vaccine and then which phase and tier the person falls under. It also asks a quick health history about how the person is feeling that day and about any previous allergic reactions and recent treatments.

Once the short form is completed, the individual goes with a nurse and receives the vaccine. They are given a COVID-19 immunization card and asked to sit in a waiting area for at least 15 minutes to ensure they do not have an immediate reaction to the vaccine. While waiting, another hospital employee comes around and makes their second vaccine appointment with the person if they just received the first dose. Once the 15 minutes are over, they are free to leave.

Both Rutledge and Crow said they would encourage other residents to take advantage of the vaccination clinics if possible.

“I left this country only once to serve (in the military), and I know everywhere doesn’t look the same as the United States,” Rutledge said. “If you live in a country like we live in, we can do things like this (provide vaccinations to citizens).”

Rutledge said he credited former President Donald Trump with ensuring vaccines were possible for Americans within a year after COVID-19 hit the United States.

Crow said one never knows how someone will react from contracting COVID-19.

“The vaccine doesn’t just protect you from COVID,” Crow said. “It protects everyone around you, especially the ones you love. If you don’t do it for you, do it for the people you love.”

For more information about COVID-19 vaccine clinics, to make an appointment or be placed on a waiting list, contact Whitney Montgomery with MDMC’s marketing department at 472-7406 or the Scott County Health Department at (573) 471-4044.