Some senior citizens in Camden County were delighted to get a phone call that moved their COVID-19 vaccine appointment up.

The county’s Blackwood vaccine site had some extra staff on hand thanks to some volunteers, which enabled them to vaccinate more people.

“I was given an appointment date of Sept. 1. It’s only about six or seven months away,” said Cherry Hill resident Ted Polish.

But thanks to the volunteers and extra doses of vaccine from the state, Polish was one of more than 900 seniors that got their appointments moved up to this week.

“They said, ‘Are you available [Friday?]’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I’m available,’” Polish says. “It was like somebody lifted a granite block off my shoulder.”

Anna Sobieszczyk and her husband were also able to get their appointments moved to Friday. Their original date was May 27.

“I was so happy. I called the lady back because she left a message on my answering machine and thanked her,” Sobieszczyk says.

Camden County officials say that this is why it is important to make appointments for the vaccine.

“We are watching the state's distribution of vaccines to us and when that grows we will move you up and you'll be seen much sooner than your actual October or what could be a November appointment,” says county spokesman Dan Keashan.

Friday was also Cooper Health’s day of service, which meant extra staff at the site. And officials say that it couldn’t have come at a better time.

“We have everybody from project managers to lab technicians to just general managers throughout the organization who come here really to support the community,” says Cooper Health senior vice president of hospital operations Robert Hockel.

Camden County officials say that they are expecting another 1,000 extra doses of the vaccine next week, which means they could be bumping up more eligible county residents.

County Hotline Number: 1-800-999-9045

Website to register: https://www.camdencounty.com/vaccineregistration/