Hundreds of people in Connecticut made the trip Thursday to receive their COVID-19 vaccination at the new Danbury Fair Mall drive-up site.

Six lanes of recipients drove up to receive the Moderna shot at the site run by Community Health Center Inc. with help from Nuvance Health.

It is staffed by about 15 vaccinators, along with CHC employees, volunteers and the National Guard, who checked patients in and kept traffic flowing.

Today was considered a soft launch. Starting Friday, it will run from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. News 12 is told that 600 shots will be given daily, initially. Once more inventory becomes available, they will target 1,000 vaccinations each day.

Patricia Jo Kegler, of Ridgefield, says recipients should be patient and called the site “organized.”

“The National Guard is there. They tell you where to go, they move you along, and you just have to have patience…as long as you know that you're getting this lifesaving thing,” she says.

Once people received the vaccine, they headed toward an observation area for 15-30 minutes to make sure they don’t have any adverse reactions.

Vaccines are only by appointment for those who are eligible by the state's guidelines. They can be made through the federal Vaccine Administration Management System.

The Danbury Fair Mall site is also open three weekend days this month – March 13, 20, and 21.