Anti-Virus: UVa Comes to Restaurants to Vaccinate Workers
Justin Vesser, who once made a Deli-Egg Roll, was at Bodo’s this week vaccinating employees. How did this come to be?
Manager of Ambulatory Pharmacy Services at UVa with a great passion for food, Vesser recently emailed me about the idea of vaccinating restaurant employees onsite. Work schedules and other factors, he worried, might make it difficult for restaurant employees to get vaccinated, particularly with the staff shortage restaurants face. So, why not bring the mobile vaccine clinic he runs for UVa directly to restaurants, he thought. A few emails later and Voila! On-site vaccines are underway, including a visit this week to Bodo’s.
While many Bodo’s staff had already been vaccinated, not all had, as making time for a vaccination can be especially difficult for restaurant workers, said co-owner Scott Smith. “These are busy people working a lot of hours and with kids or other obligations outside work,” Smith said. “Being able to be vaccinated on the clock was a huge help to them.”
Plus, while vaccine centers can have long lines and other logistical issues, the process was flawless, Smith said. “They were super efficient and unobtrusive,” Smith said. “They made everything easy for us, and they’re coming back in a few weeks for a second round. It was a terrific opportunity.”
Any other restaurants seeking free, on-site vaccinations, feel free to email charlottesville29@gmail.com.
