Cottage Hospital Begins First Round of COVID-19 Vaccinations

Written by Dhaniele Duffy, Community Relations Liaison at Cottage Hospital

Cottage Hospital began administering the first of the available COVID-19 vaccinations on Thursday, December 17 at 7 AM. Dr. Ryan, President and CEO of Cottage Hospital commented on the event saying, “The ability to give a vaccine for COVID-19 is nothing short of a miracle. Thank you, Operation Warp Speed.” Operation Warp Speed is a public-private partnership initiated by the U.S. government to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.

This initial round of vaccinations, being called Phase 1A, will be given to Cottage Hospital’s most at-risk frontline workers. The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses, the second dose to be given three weeks following the initial vaccination. Cottage Hospital is expecting regular weekly shipments of this vaccine. The hospital plans to keep vaccinating until all staff are given the option to be vaccinated. “This vaccine is providing a light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel.  Such a wonderful beacon of hope at this special time of the year,” says Holly McCormack, Chief Nursing Officer at Cottage Hospital.

Facts to Know about the COVID-19 Vaccine

• The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible. 
• Because the current supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is limited, CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine be offered to healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents.
• The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as large enough quantities are available. Once vaccine is widely available, the plan is to have several thousand vaccination providers offering COVID-19 vaccines in doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers.
• After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection. The side effects from COVID-19 vaccination may feel like flu and might even affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.
• The data supporting the use of the Pfizer vaccine includes an analysis of 36,523 participants in the ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled international study, the majority of whom are U.S. participants, who completed the 2-dose vaccination. The study has so-far found that the vaccine was 95 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 disease among these clinical trial participants.

Sources: https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-frequently-asked-questions, https://www.vaccines.gov/diseases/covid/8-things, https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/explaining-operation-warp-speed/index.html