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Riverside County hits one millionth dose milestone

Riverside County hit a major milestone on Wednesday in their vaccination rollout.

“Dagum I was not ready for this but it was so very nice and if this helps folks come up here then that’s fine with me," Shirlley Gruenke told News Channel 3 after receiving the one millionth dose in Riverside County.

Gruenke is a 65 year old, retired nurse.

“One million doses in a county of two and a half million people is a huge milestone,” Riverside County supervisor Jeff Hewitt said.

Some county supervisors were at the clinic in Beaumont to celebrate the milestone.

“December 17 was when the first vaccine was given so we are now at one million," supervisor Karen Spiegel said. "That to me is exciting because it’s just under halfway there and so every vaccine helps us to move forward and that’s what I’m looking forward to," she said.

Gruenke received her second dose of the Moderna vaccine.

“I went back and forth about it and then I got the COVID and I got really sick and I thought of all the folks that were in the hospital that may or may not make it home and I have two beautiful grandbabies that I want to see grow up and so I want to do it for them and I made my husband do it and he didn’t want to do it and I said oh yes dagummit you are," Gruenke said.

Little did she know she would be receiving more than her vaccine.

“Balloons and flowers and folks taking pictures with me," Gruenke said.

This milestone is followed by the county opening up vaccines to more people on April 1 when people 50 and older can get vaccinated.

“We are anticipating that we’ll have a good influx in new people," Riverside County Public Health spokesperson Jose Arballo said. "Our appointments are already up for tomorrow and Friday so that’s a good sign,” he said.

He also explained that the county has made changes to avoid what happened at the beginning of the vaccine rollout.

“We’ve already made some changes on the website, more bandwidth, our new appointments scheduled makes it easier for people we hope,” Arballo said.

After two weeks, the county will open vaccines up even more to people 16 years and older on April 15.

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Caitlin Thropay

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