Lehigh Valley’s two largest health networks commemorated one of the greatest moments in Thursday’s 10-month battle against the pandemic.
A UPS truck delivered the first two-dose dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccination to St. Luke’s University Health Network a week after the FDA cleared emergency use.
“It’s a truly revolutionary day in my opinion. Certainly not the end of the pandemic, but I think it is an important step towards achieving that goal,” said Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, Infectious Disease Specialist at SLUHN.
St. Luke’s received 5,000 doses.
“I am proud to say that we started administering it within two hours of receiving the dose, so we are now working at our own speed to get all staff to accept the vaccine and need the vaccine to their initial protection, ”said Jahre.
Lehigh Valley Health Network also received the vaccine Thursday. It vaccinated ten workers.
Nurse Chantal Branco was the first.
“There is certainly an element of stress relief,” said Branco. “I’m really excited, the only good thing that is happening to us this week.”
Experts said it is a beginning and not the end-all-everything in the ongoing pandemic battle. They will all still socially distance themselves, mask, and wash hands repeatedly.
But it’s a welcome start, and perhaps the first glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel.
LVHN said it will vaccinate another 1,000 workers on Friday.
“We expect that in the coming weeks we will be able to target our highest-risk individuals based on the job and area they work in,” said Dr. Timothy Friel, Infectious Disease Specialist at LVHN.
They then pass on to other employees.
St. Luke’s said it expects the Moderna vaccine will also receive an emergency permit and be available to the network next week.