Shelter Island gets a boost: Residents go to school gym for booster vax

The mood at the Shelter Island School gym Tuesday morning, where Islanders were getting the COVID booster vaccine, was one of quiet satisfaction. People remarked at the contrast of emotions from the first vaccine event at the school in February, when there was a general feeling of euphoria by all involved.

The event, like the former vaccinations at the school, was coordinated by the Town with Stony Brook Southampton Hospital to administer up to 600 booster inoculations. All told, 558 Islanders received the booster shot.

Police officers and volunteers asked people entering the gym on School Street to present vaccination certification cards and ID, and then gave them forms to register for the shots. They then went into the gym for another round of certifications. All ran smoothly.

Sara Mundy, of the Town’s Senior Services, said her department had aided about 100 seniors who had asked for help in navigating the online registration.

Inside the gym, people moved to stations set up for the vaccinations administered by registered nurses. They then went to another area of the gym to wait 15 minutes or so to ensure there were no negative reactions. Island Emergency Medical Services personnel were on the scene.

Claudia Olinkiewicz waited to enter the gym with her registration completed. She had been assisted by Senior Services, but had completed the forms herself. Asked how she felt about those who are skeptical about the efficacy of vaccines, Ms. Olinkiewicz said, “Everyone has to go with what their own consciences and hearts tell them.”

School District Clerk Jacki Dunning agreed, but urged people to consider the importance of vaccinations. After receiving the booster dose from Islander Kelly Surerus, R.N., Ms. Dunning said, “I feel that if we’re going to eradicate this virus, we all should be vaccinated. We should do it for each other, so we can stop losing people to this illness.”

Police Chief Jim Read, the Island’s emergency management coordinator, said at the gym that preliminary weekly reports say the Island has remained stable in the number of cases of COVID.

Last week  it was reported that  83 Islanders had contracted COVID since the pandemic began to be tracked in March 2020. Also, Suffolk County reported last week a continuing decline in new cases of 2.3%, down from 2.6% the previous week.

Chief Read said he thought that would also be unchanged, but would have more information tomorrow.