Valdosta barbershop hosts vaccination pop-up to help stop the spread

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) -A South Georgia barbershop owner is taking action to cut, or maybe at least trim, the number of people not vaccinated from COVID-19.

He’s doing this in hopes the rising number of cases will be thinned out and the virus will fade.

Cutting hair and saving lives, that’s what Daryl Dove, the owner of Dove Barbershop in Valdosta, is aiming to do. He decided to help the cause and get the community vaccinated.

Dove said his niece passed away last year in June from COVID-19. She was in the hospital for heart surgery, contracted the virus inside and never came out. He said she inspired him to try to do what he could to help others.

Dove said in June when Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned getting barbershops and hair salons involved in getting people vaccinated, he stepped up.

He said he reached out to her office and got a letter back, but it wasn’t clear if a vaccination pop-up would be made possible.

Dove said he prayed for the opportunity to help and then he got a call from Atlanta, asking if he was interested in setting the vaccine site up.

“And here we are, to help the community. It’s not about recognition, it’s not about look at me, it’s about saving lives and if this is what I can do to save lives, I’m willing,” said Dove.

The team leading the pop-up site is part of CORE, or Community Organized Relief Effort. The organization is partnered with the Georgia Department of Public Health. Free Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson shots were available.

CORE will be back at the barbershop on Aug. 20 to provide the second round of shots.

Dove said the community has been finding out through word of mouth and social media. He said he’s grateful for the response and encourages everyone to get vaccinated.