Lambton Public Health officials say up to 2,500 people a day will soon be able to be vaccinated at the first mass vaccination center in Point Edward.

Officials gave members of the media a tour at the arena complex. They call it a hockey hub design and it was first used in Grey-Bruce. There are two lines of 30 ‘pods’ – cubicles with a chair – which can hold 60 people at a time. Vaccinators will move down the lines, spending about one minute with each person, giving 60 COVID-19 shots in 15 minutes.

Anita Trusler, supervisor, health promotion with Lambton Public Health, says nearly 700 people went through the Point Edward clinic Thursday. When the province has a healthy vaccine supply, up to 2,500 people will be vaccinated at the center a day.

Trusler says one of the biggest concerns was logistics, particularly how to get so many people in and out of the limited parking lot at the arena. The village has created a new driveway for better traffic flow and the casino and Bluewater Bridge have offered up parking lots, so people can be dropped off and then picked up in about 20 minutes.

About 50 people, including administrative clerks, vaccinators and volunteers, will be working at the clinic.

Public health officials say as of Thursday 17,925 of the 23,750 vaccines delivered to Lambton are already in the arms of residents. That’s about 76 per cent of the vaccines on hand at that time.

In a phone call with Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, Premier Doug Ford said another 5,400 doses of vaccine will be on the way in the next two weeks.