DOVER — At the State Street Assisted Living facility Friday, 60 residents and approximately 25 staff members received COVID-19 vaccine shots.

With amplified 1950s- and 1960s-era music serving as upbeat background noise, rounds of applause were given for each person after their shot and spirits were clearly running high.

“We’ve had signs, raffle drawings. (We) will release balloons with their names on them, put their names on a board,” SSAL Executive Director Roni Davis said. “We’re just trying to make them excited about it.”

Ms. Davis added that her facility has experienced six COVID-19 cases and one death during the pandemic.

Fresh off her shot in the arm, resident Sally Henk was certainly looking ahead to better times, in which the vaccine plays a huge role.

“I feel fine physically. It didn’t hurt,” she said. “I feel that if everyone gets the vaccination, then we can wipe this terrible virus out.

“We’d like to get rid of the virus. We’d like to get out of quarantine. We’d like to get rid of these masks. We’d like to have things more normal.”

Ms. Davis said she was disappointed by the staff’s overall turnout — less than half opted to be vaccinated Friday. She did take solace that a late push brought in a couple staffers who were previously undecided.

“Overall, the number was not as high as I would have liked it to be,” she said.

“They’re not all buying into it. I’ve had Zoom calls trying to educate. I’ve provided them with documentation, just trying to bring awareness on how important it is, so we’ve still got to work on that.”

SSAL Director of Engineering and Environment Fred Mouzone is a believer, however.

“In the beginning, I was skeptical, but (I) just did a little more research, got a little more understanding about what the vaccine was going to do and listened to the professionals and science people,” he said.

While he took the dose, Mr. Mouzone said he had in mind his own family and the SSAL residents he contacts daily. Protecting them is paramount, he said.

“It feels really good to know that there’s something that will help because there’s been so much death and suffering (over the past) year everywhere,” according to Mr. Mouzone.

Sitting in an observation area post-vaccination, SSAL resident Barbara Mechetti said, “It feels good to have this done. I don’t like getting needles, but if it helps me or anyone else in the future, then it’s OK.

“I’ve thought about the virus but can’t do anything about it except getting the shot, so that’s what I had to do.”