After numerous tries, Leominster's Jack Klette was finally able to get his COVID-19 vaccine Monday morning at the new UMass Memorial vaccination site in downtown Worcester.

He said, "I felt great. This is the most efficient organization I've seen, really. From the parking lot, to the directions, UMass Memorial has done a great job."

Klette was one of the 250 patients scheduled for Monday.

The site will be open to UMass Memorial patients and health care workers.

UMass Memorial expects the daily number of vaccinations will increase after some time.

The site's Clinic Manager of Operation Sharon Cormier said, "It's our first day, so we wanted to be able to work out some of the kinks. We're going to be incrementally expanding those appointment availabilities as vaccine supply becomes available."

To help patients 75 and older schedule an appointment, UMass Memorial is reaching out by phone.

Senior VP of Ambulatory Services Dianna Caffarena said, "We understand that they just can't access computers like maybe others can. So, we are calling every patient. I would say 65 of the patients seen here today, we've reached via phone."

Cormier said, "I'm seeing a lot of smiles on their way out the door. I think people are really grateful to get the first vaccination taken care of, and know their second vaccination is scheduled."

Klette is scheduled to get his second dose of the vaccine in March and he's cautiously optimistic the end of the coronavirus pandemic is approaching.

He said, "You know, we don't know about the different variations coming in and things like that. But yeah, I'm confident. I love it."

Right now, the goal is to be able to vaccinate up to 2,500 people per week in Downtown Worcester. But, that of course is dependent on supply and state guidelines. A week from Tuesday, the City of Worcester is scheduled to open their mass vaccination site at Worcester State University. ​