Photo By Chief Petty Officer Matthew Cole | Machinists Technician First Class Walter Avelar of the United States Coast Guard...... read more read more
NORFOLK, Va. (May 10, 2021) – The U.S. Coast Guard has Sailors deployed in support of the Community Vaccination Center (CVC) at the former Macy’s at the Military Circle Mall in Norfolk, Virginia. Service members involved in the operation have come to help local community members receive a vaccine to protect them against COVID.
Machinists Technician First Class Walter Avelar of the United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area, District 5, explains his motivation to serve the community. “I take it seriously – my grandparents are 92 and 87. Since the virus has started, I have been worried for them and don’t see them at all,” Avelar said. “It is very important to me. I believe we will make it through this if we all are safe.”
Avelar, who says he is very close to his family, has been hindered, like most of the country, to see his mother and his friends since the pandemic. “I’m proud of this, I volunteered to be here. Previously, I was at the Southwest border doing the same type of operations in Arizona because I believe in it,” Avelar said.
Looking for a change and wanting to be closer to his family, he took orders to CVC in Norfolk.Avelar has been at the CVC as part of the federal vaccine response since early April.
“Hearing the patients come in saying that they’re excited to be here, and that they’re really happy to see us, makes me thankful that I am in a position to help,” Avelar said. “Everyone has been appreciative of what we’re doing.”
The CVC in Norfolk aims for 3,000 vaccinations daily, opening their doors to the public at 9 o’clock every morning. Avelar has welcomed the interaction with community members helping them to relax while they get vaccinated.
“I really do see the joy once they actually sit down and have a conversation. Some people are scared when they first come in and they don’t know what’s going on. I just talk to them, like I would to family or a friend,” Avelar said.
According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 114 million Americans have been fully vaccinated. Avelar himself had the opportunity to get vaccinated with the Coast Guard three months prior.
“One of the biggest questions I get all the time is if I received the shot when I first got here, they asked me every time did you get the shot?,” Avelar added. “I have, so telling people that I am already vaccinated and that I am ok seems to put them at ease. They relax more and are just happy to get the shot, because we are all trying to get back to normal life.”
Active duty and reserve service members are supporting Department of Defense federal vaccine response efforts in vaccination sites in throughout the country. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing continued, flexible Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19.
| Date Taken: | 05.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2021 10:25 |
| Story ID: | 396191 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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