As far as I know, no politicians or dignitaries visited the Davie County COVID vaccination site. Perhaps they should have. This letter is not intended to denigrate Rowan County but to praise the efforts put forth by our neighboring Davie County.

In January 2021, Salisbury/Rowan residents who lived in the northern, southern and eastern parts were at a disadvantage for entering the vaccination site at West End Plaza. Unless you lived in the western area, one had to travel west for a few miles then turn around to get in line. You were not immediately guaranteed the availability of the vaccine at your turn. After several failed attempts to receive the vaccine here, we looked elsewhere. Our decision to try Davie County was right on target.

We left home on Jan. 12, around 8:20 a.m., with completed paperwork downloaded from their website in hand. By 12:40 p.m., we had received our first shots, waited in the “recovery area” for 15 minutes, had cards to return on Feb. 17 and were back in Salisbury. I was completely surprised yet so appreciative of their organizational plans and execution.

The officer who directed us from the highway to the parking area informed us we were car No. 700 and there were 1,400 vaccinations available. Officers on U.S. 601 were alternately letting in traffic from both north and south. The recreation center on site was open for convenience as well as porta-potties placed through the area. Cars were strategically parked in order of arrival.

There were three lanes for executing the vaccines, which began around 9:30 a.m. The entire area was fully staffed, from sheriff’s deputies who made frequent rounds among cars to volunteers who checked and verified paperwork, to the medical staff. Returning for our second dose on Feb. 17, we once again experienced the well planned event that went as clockwork. Total time from our leaving home and returning was again under four hours.

Kudos to the Davie County Health Department and all involved. They are to be commended for their excellence. I didn’t expect but did receive a “thank you for your thank you” email from them. So, often a simple thank you is appreciated.

— Edith Julian

Salisbury