NEW ORLEANS — There’s a light at the end of the tunnel in the battle against the coronavirus. LCMC Health announced that the first covid community vaccination center will be here in just a few weeks. It’s all happening at the New Orleans Convention Center, where thousands of New Orleanians are expected to get their covid vaccine.

The project, titled “Operation: Be in that number”, will be launched with a $4.1 million grant from FEMA. LCMC’s Dr. Jeffrey Elder says this is a big step towards getting back to normal.

“Our goal is to push through thousands of people a day and to get more and more people vaccinated, so we can get to that point of heard immunity and kind of get back to all the normal things we want to do,” said Dr. Elder.

This site is expected to open early next month, and folks in the first priority group, including the elderly, first responders and teachers, can get their shots.

Dr. Elder says the convention center is the perfect place to do this.

“We needed a large area, a large format where we could do this, seven days a week, regardless of weather and so that gives us, with social distancing a whole lot of space to get large volumes of people through,” said Dr. Elder.

Some locals agree, it’s a great way to use the convention center that’s been shut down for months.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea, you know, since tourism is down, there’s a lot of room to do this type of thing,” said Melvin White, a New Orleans resident.

Others say they can’t wait to get vaccinated.

“I can stop wearing these masks! Music again, I can hug my friends, things like that,” said Tabitha Anderson.

A life of normalcy is right around the corner, so hold on New Orleans, the vaccine is on the way.