LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Nearly 1,000 Fayette County Public School students and their families lined up to get their shot of hope on Tuesday. Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton kicked off the district's-up pop vaccine clinic at Dunbar High School on Tuesday.
All six of Fayette County's public high schools hosted clinics with the help of the city of Lexington and Wild Health.
After months of waiting, 16-year old Ximena Arreole sat down for her COVID-19 shot in the gym of her own high school.
"I'm like freshman year excited," said Arreole.
For her, getting her shot was like a sigh of relief because she was thinking about her grandmother who got COVID-19 and didn't make it.
"My grandma recently passed away to COVID, so getting this vaccine meant a lot to me. Knowing that I can help myself and my family and others avoid this and having a death happen is really important," said Arreole.
Getting the shot right at her high school and being able to bring her parents to get their too made the moment even more special.
"Knowing that my family is seeing the youngest daughter of them all going to get the vaccine first. I know it has motivated them to get it themselves," said Arreole.
As of Tuesday, the city of Lexington has 129,000, or about 40% of the population, fully vaccinated. Now nearly a thousand students, the families and staff at Fayette County Public Schools will be added to that number.
"We are trying to think outside the box. And we, you know, many of us were involved in the initial conversation could we do this at the schools. And now that anybody 16 or over can be vaccinated, how do we get to those folks? And could we go ahead and ask them to bring their family if their family wants to be vaccinated?" asked Mayor Gorton.
On Tuesday, health care workers with Wild Health moved from one high school to the next until they hit all six.
"This is how we're going to get open-way back up, as a society, is to get many people vaccinated," said Mayor Gorton.
Everyone who signed up will have a slot for their second shot in May before the school year ends.
Employers were also present informing students about summer job opportunities.
