MILWAUKEE— Willie Mae Williams was one of the first people to get their first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during Saturday’s walk-in clinic at the Hayatt Pharmacy. 

“I ain’t too crazy about shots, but I’m very happy to have it,” Williams said after getting the vaccine. 

She lost her brother to the coronavirus three months ago, so getting the vaccine has been her biggest priority. 

“It’s best to have it and be safe than try to just go around without it and everything and take a chance of dying from it,” Williams said. 

She wasn’t the only one who has been trying, and struggling, to get the vaccine. 

Kelly Morgan has been trying to get her 83-year-old mom a shot for weeks. 

“We are from Oconomowoc so we’ve been trying all around in that area,” Morgan said. "Unfortunately we were signed up two or three times to get it, but they never got their shipments.”

“For months I’ve tried to get it. Everybody was out of it,” added James Kidlau of Milwaukee.

“I’ve registered in 15 different places,” said Susan Leyva. "My neighbor came on Thursday and said it [the walk-in clinic] went well, and it certainly has.”

The pharmacy originally started giving the vaccine through appointments. 

It was taking too long and was more complicated for everyone involved. 

So, they decided to switch to the walk-in strategy. 

“We’re really trying to a lot of vaccines at once, trying to get the population vaccinated,” said Lauren Splawn, a pharmacist at Hayatt Pharmacy. 

On the biggest walk-in day, the pharmacy had brought nearly 650 people. They’ve now vaccinated more than 2,000 just from the clinics alone. 

“With walk-ins, we never waste anything,” Splawn added. "We always have people waiting, so it’s really worked out in our favor.”

Those who got their first dose Saturday say the process was easy, and can’t wait to be fully vaccinated in just a few weeks. 

“A lot of my children have also had it [the vaccine], they’re nurses or caregivers, or whatever,” said Jacky Morgan. "So, we can be together again, and that’s making me very happy.”

The pharmacy said everyone who gets their vaccine through this walk-in clinic is given a specific day to return for their second dose. 

The pharmacy plans to continue the walk-in clinics.