‘I’m so hopeful.’ Columbus’ frontline healthcare workers start getting first COVID vaccine
The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are being administered to frontline healthcare workers in Columbus, with thousands more to come.
“I’m so happy and excited that somehow I got chosen to be one of the first five,” respiratory therapist April Gillies said Monday afternoon at Piedmont Columbus Regional, where she and four coworkers got the vaccine during a press event.
“I’m ready to do my part to flatten the curve of this virus,” she added. “It affects every part of my life, my job, I don’t want to give it to anybody; I don’t want to get it. I’m so hopeful that everybody will get this vaccine and do their part to stop this virus.”
Piedmont was expecting eventually to receive 5,000 doses here in Columbus, with 115 expected in the next few days, and to get 5,000 more for the 16-county healthcare region it serves.
St. Francis-Emory Healthcare got its first supplies of the vaccine Friday and began administering it to front line staff over the weekend, vaccinating more than 50 workers by Sunday evening. More doses were expected to arrive shortly, said Keona Swindler, the hospital’s marketing and communications coordinator.
Pamela Kirkland of the West Central Health District said she was in a meeting Monday on the logistics of handling its vaccine supply. The health department was to focus on administering it to healthcare workers who are outside the hospital system.
The first wave of vaccine comes from Pfizer, with the recently approved Moderna vaccine to follow. Each requires a second dose to confer immunity to the novel coronavirus, the Pfizer vaccine in 21 days and the Moderna in 28 days.
The first dose helps the body build antibodies to fight off the virus, but it is insufficient to maintain that protection long term. “They’re immune, but they’re not immune enough,” said Dr. Saeed Baloch, an infectious disease physician who was among those getting vaccinated at Piedmont.
That means they must continue to wear the masks, face shields and other personal protective gear needed to guard against the disease.
Among those present at the event was Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson, who said the city’s first responders soon will be getting the vaccine, in coordination with the health department and with Piedmont, but the city will not require vaccinations.
The city also may help distribute the vaccine when doses are available to the public sometime next year, he said.
This story was originally published December 21, 2020 at 3:42 PM.