Future North Naples senior living community residents receive COVID-19 vaccine

Reporter: Rachel Cox-Rosen Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published: Updated:
Credit: WINK News.

Buy an expensive apartment, and get a lifesaving payoff: Hundreds of future members at a senior living facility received coronavirus vaccines, and the place hasn’t opened yet.

Those who are set to live at Siena Lakes senior living community in North Naples received the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday and will get their second dose in three weeks. This all gets underway before the community opens in June.

Executive Director Mike McCormick told us more than 300 future Siena Lakes residents received the Pfizer vaccine through its partnership with CVS.

“They are ecstatic because it’s been a struggle to find and get the vaccine through conventional methods,” McCormick said. “So to have us call them last Friday and say we have a vaccine clinic for you to get an opportunity has really just been amazing.”

Larry Coen, a future Siena Lakes resident, got his COVID-19 vaccine quick and easy Tuesday afternoon.

“I just wish it was more available to more people,” Coen said. “There is a guilt, a little bit of guilt, that we have about getting it maybe so easy. They call us instead of us having to chase around.”

Don Rinedollar said it’s a huge relief.

“I’ve been struggling, myself,” Rinedollar. “I was on a waiting list a couple of times, and of course, you can’t get in because, if people get appointments, they’re going to take it, so this has been really wonderful.”

It makes these seniors the envy of their friends.

“I talked to Frank, my buddy, and he can’t get one, and he’s older than I am, and then Tom, he calls over and says, ‘I hear you guys are getting the vaccine,’” Coen said. “He’s like he wants me to ask if he can come over and get it.”

But Frank and Tom will have to wait with thousands more for their shot.


RESOURCE: WINK News is working by the minute on a daily basis to bring our coverage areas in Southwest Florida the latest COVID-19 vaccine information from the counties you live in.

Visit our COVID-19 vaccine schedules and information for SWFL story for rolling vaccine updates.

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