Health Care Workers At Most Risk Of Exposure Are First To Receive COVID Vaccine
Dec 16, 2020, 6:41 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tuesday was another historic day in Utah as multiple health care workers were the first in the state to received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Hospitals immunized employees who are at most risk of exposure – those in ICU and COVID-19 units.
The Pfizer vaccine arrived in the state Monday, and University of Utah Health and Intermountain Healthcare both received their first shipments the next day. Neither health care provider wasted time distributing it.
Intensive Care Unit nurse Christy Mulder was the first person in Utah to get vaccinated against the virus.
“I don’t know how to put it into words,” she said after receiving the shot. “It’s surreal.”
“It does give a sense of reassurance going into work knowing I have the vaccine,” she added.
Other workers to receive the vaccine Tuesday were another ICU nurse, a respiratory therapist, an environmental service worker, and a doctor.
Widespread immunization is still months away, but many workers on the frontlines agree that this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic.
U of U Health officials said their goal is to immunize 17,000 health care workers over the next five – six weeks.
