INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb received his COVID-19 vaccine Friday morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Holcomb sat in the front passenger seat of an SUV and received the shot in his right arm of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine being provided at the drive-thru clinic.
"Do it, just do it," Holcomb said. "This is going to help us beat COVID-19. The more, the faster."
Nearly 17,000 people signed up for the free COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. All available spots are filled.
Holcomb, 52, had said he didn't expect to receive the vaccine until his age group's time arrived because he doesn't have health problems.
The Indiana State Department of Health opened up Indiana's vaccine eligibility on Wednesday to all residents 50 and older.
Mass vaccination clinics will also be held during March at Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg and the University of Notre Dame's Compton Ice Arena. The state is also planning a clinic in Gary.
“This is a very efficient way. This is the most iconic place, so move over Eiffel Tower, to get your vaccination,” Holcomb said. “We will look to do mass sites. There is a high level of interest because it’s so efficient.”
More than 633,000 people, about 10% of Indiana's population is fully vaccinated through Thursday, and 1,061,173 people have received their first dose, according to the state's COVID-19 vaccine dashboard.
The state has recorded more than 12,600 confirmed or presumed coronavirus-related deaths over the past year, although Indiana's COVID-19 death and hospitalization rates have fallen about 80% since their December peaks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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