The mass vaccination centre in Sterling, Virginia used to be a department store. Outside, long queues of people and a packed car park resembled the first day of a big sale that had attracted shoppers eager to bag a bargain.
They had not come to buy shoes or electrical appliances, but they were there for this season's must-have item. Inside, Covid-19 vaccines were being administered in what used to be the make-up and fragrance section of the store.
Patients and staff sat in front of cosmetic counters panelled with mirrors. Those waiting their turn, lined up alongside disused dressing rooms and bare shelves that once displayed the latest fashions.