Amid great anticipation, Pfizer’s Covid 19 vaccine has passed clinical trials and is approved by the FDA for emergency use, meaning it can finally make its way to the public. This may mark the most significant turning point in the battle against Covid-19. Pfizer’s vaccine has shown great promise in late-stage testing with trials concluding that the vaccine is around 95% effective at preventing infection.
The vaccine will first be administered to military personnel and frontline healthcare workers following the federal advisory committee’s recommendations on immunization and prevention.
On Tuesday, December 15th, the first Covid vaccines were administered in San Diego County at the Naval Medical Center and Rady’s Children’s Hospital.
U.S. Navy registered nurse, Lt. Catherine Senoyuit, was the first person from the military community to take the Covid vaccine. She described the vaccine as relatively painless, and she felt honored to be one of the first to take this historic vaccine.
“I actually feel like that is the least painful vaccination I’ve gotten in my entire life. It was really easy. I had an awesome corpsman who gave me my shot . . . I felt humbled to be part of what I perceive to be a historic moment.”
Rady’s Children’s Hospital emergency room nurse, Rittane Randel, was the first non-military personnel to take the vaccine. Randel also mentions the painlessness of the vaccine.
“It was great,” Randel said. “The person administering it was awesome. I’m actually afraid of needles and I didn’t even feel it.”
Over the next few days, San Diego is expected to receive its first major shipment of vaccines. This first shipment will contain 28,000 vaccines which is enough to immunize nearly 70% of frontline healthcare workers.
