Hundreds line up for COVID-19 vaccine, including college students, after word spreads doses available

PITTSBURGH — A long line of people stretched down Burrown Street in Oakland after word began to spread about a COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

The coordinated effort between Spartan Pharmacy and The Oak Hill Apartments made the clinic a reality for many people, including students like Joanna Cuff.

“I am very grateful that Oak Hill was able to provide this for us today,” said Cuff, a Pitt student.

The clinic wasn’t really intended for college students, though. Apartment property manager Eric Graham said the initial idea was to get the shot to people living in hard to reach communities with disabilities and other issues.

“The owner at Spartan came to me and said they had a commitment to reach communities that are hard to reach with medical and/or other services and so we decided that Oak Hill was going to be a great place,” Graham said.

As things turned out, through word of mouth those who normally would have had trouble getting the vaccine were able to get it, alongside hundreds of students.

“My roommate who is away right now texted us that someone in a school group chat at Pitt had texted her. And so I live a few blocks over and we rushed here pretty fast,” Kristopher Ramstrom said.

This comes amid increasing discussions about expanding vaccine eligibility in Pennsylvania as the state still sits in Phase 1A.

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