NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A Connecticut couple, both doctors, celebrated this Valentine’s Day by volunteering to administer COVID-19 vaccinations.
Dr. Tom Balcezak and his wife Dr. Soni Clubb spent Sunday at one of Yale New Haven Health’s vaccine sites: the Floyd Little Athletic Center and Field House in New Haven.
The couple, who’ve been married for 28 years, often volunteer together on Sundays to administer vaccines, and Valentine’s Day was no different, NewsNation affiliate WTNH reported.
“It became kind of a fun thing that we were going to do this as a date,” said Dr. Balcezak, chief clinical officer at Yale New Haven Health.
Dr. Clubb, a retired physician, added, “Every single dose you give you feel like you’re doing something nice for somebody and potentially, protecting their life, which is an unbelievable feeling.”
They said Sunday was one of their busies days.
Matthew Naclerio, of North Haven, was among those vaccinated Sunday.
“This is my Valentine’s Day present to myself,” Naclerio told WTNH. “I just want to get back to my regular life!”
Naclerio got his shot from Dr. Clubb, who said, “From the very beginning, I really, really wanted to find a way to participate and find a way to help.”
Dr. Clubb volunteers as often as she can, and says she’s grateful to be a part of this massive vaccine effort.
“It makes me want to cry, like this opportunity… it’s unbelievable. It’s an unbelievable gift,” she said.
At this site, they have 21 open stations. Dr. Balcezak said they can vaccinate more than 1,000 people a day.
“We’re really lucky! We just recently found out we’re getting a lot more vaccines from the state of Connecticut because the state’s getting more from the feds. So, we’re opening up a lot more vaccine appointments in places like this,” Dr. Balcezak said.
Those who fall under Phase 1A and the beginning of Phase 1B of Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan are currently eligible to sign up to get the vaccine.