The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was delivered to Suburban Community Hospital on Wednesday, December 16th and the hospital began administering it to its staff the next day.
“Our health care heroes have been, and continue to be, trusted voices for health care in our community, and we hope that they will carry the message that these vaccines are safe and effective,” said Chief Nursing Officer Dave Schmidt. “Having our staff vaccinated is the most effective step to aid with conquering the pandemic, and we applaud those members of our workforce for being the first to roll up their sleeves.”
Key logistics included education, prioritizing disbursement, tracking, and handling the vaccine, which requires two doses per person and must be stored at -70 degrees C. The hospital has prioritized the administration of the vaccine to frontline caregivers to ensure they can safely continue caring for patients while managing the spread of COVID-19 in the community. The vaccines are voluntary, but the hospital is encouraging them to get the shot to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“Our healthcare workers remain very excited about the vaccine and the mood has been very upbeat during our Vaccination Clinics,” continued Schmidt. “It is a common sight to see staff taking selfies or having others take their pictures as they make history by receiving their vaccines. Suburban has met the challenge of providing the best patient care for both COVID-19 surges, and now we are at the forefront of hopefully taking control of the virus so that we may return to some form of normalcy in late 2021.”
Photos: Octavia Rumor, RN ICU & ED (1st RN vaccinated) on right. Kristen Tomko, Resident (1st doctor vaccinated) on left. Provided by Suburban Community Hospital.