LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The vaccination rollout has been underway for weeks at area hospitals and drive-through sites like Louisville's Broadbent Arena location.
At Broadbent starting this week, workers will give out some of its vaccine supply as booster shots. Those will go to the first couple of thousand people who came through on week one. That will also take place on top of workers at the arena still trying to get Jefferson County Public Schools teachers through the lines as well.
"We have 6,000 educators scheduled to come through here for first shots next week in addition to the 2,000 people who came through in week one will be coming back to visit us for their second shots," Dr. Sarahbeth Hartlage with the Louisville Metro Public Health Dept. said on Friday.
To help speed up the process for vaccination, the city will also move to an electronic system beginning Monday.
"Please bear with us if we have any hiccups with that but we're looking forward to that transition and some increased efficiency and through-put with that as well," Dr. Hartlage said.
Across the river in Clark County, hundreds of Hoosiers were able to get vaccinated from an unexpected shipment of extra shots the state gave to the county this weekend.
"We wanted to show the state you can trust us with a surplus dose we want to do a good job with it and get it out to people as soon as we can," Dr. Eric Yazel, with the Clark Co. Health Department said.
While the health department had a steady influx of appointments to give out the extra shots Saturday, Dr. Yazel said they didn't quite get through all of the 700 doses they had. That means they will have extra shots to hopefully give out this week, in addition to their weekly allotment.
Dr. Yazel also said the county will start getting a greater supply this week, with a shipment of 600 doses, up from the previous 400 in weeks prior.
"We're ready for whatever. So if you give us a 100 or 10,000 we're ready either way," he said.
Kentucky's first regional Kroger vaccination sites also open this week, and while the state previously said those sites would be open to anyone in phases 1a, b or c, appointments were restricted to those in 1a and those 70 and older. Louisville's sites still prioritize 1a and b.
While vaccine supply is short, Louisville residents like Barbara Sturgeon are eager to volunteer at Broadbent Arena. The city says anyone who volunteers 40 hours can get the shot. But many like Sturgeon are finding, slots are hard to come by.
"I want to help. I want to encourage the public to get it because I think it's a good thing," Sturgeon said.
Sturgeon, retired from the medical field, says she doesn't want to jump the line, but wants to do what she can to protect herself and her loved ones.
"I really want to feel I've done everything I can to keep her safe because being pregnant she can't get the vaccine," Sturgeon said. "Anything I can do to protect myself and therefore my daughter, I want to do."
Sturgeon said she's slated to be vaccinated in phase 1c, but hopes she can volunteer to have her shots sooner so she can see her pregnant daughter.
"I don't care when my turn is going to be and if I can't volunteer and make that sooner, then I'll wait until later," she said.
Many of the volunteer slots, she said, are filled. The ones that remain wouldn't fit her schedule. But she plans to keep an eye out for any openings.
"As more and more sites become available I'm hoping that will help out," she said.
While many are eager, health officials in Kentucky and Indiana say vaccinations will pick up as soon as supply ramps up.
A vaccination site in Hardin County is relocating and officially opens starting tomorrow. That site will be at Towne Mall and aim to give out more than 500 doses daily.
►Contact reporter Tyler Emery at temery@WHAS11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TylerWHAS11) and Facebook.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
RELATED VIDEO