Nurse Sandra Lindsay participates in a conference call with Gov. Andrew Cuomo after she is inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, on December 14, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York. - The rollout of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in US history. More than 299,000 Americans have been killed by the virus, including over 35,000 residents of New York state. (Photo by Mark Lennihan / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MARK LENNIHAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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Nurse Sandra Lindsay participates in a conference call with Gov. Andrew Cuomo after she is inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, on December 14, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York. - The rollout of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in US history. More than 299,000 Americans have been killed by the virus, including over 35,000 residents of New York state. (Photo by Mark Lennihan / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MARK LENNIHAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Photo by: MARK LENNIHAN

MARK LENNIHAN

NY Nurse First in the US to Receive Pfizer Vaccine

By: Leah Weber

COVID-19 vaccine administration is underway in the United States. Sandra Lindsay, an ICU Nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, became the first American to get vaccinated in a non-trial setting.

December 14, 2020

After an expedited approval process by the FDA, Pfizer/BioNTech was able to begin distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine over the weekend. Distribution to 145 sites occurred on Monday, with 425 more receiving their first allotment on Tuesday and 66 additional sites on Wednesday. A cadence for distribution still needs to be determined from Pfizer/BioNtech globally.

On Monday morning, in a press conference with Governor Andrew Cuomo, the first vaccine of many was administered live.

Last week, the UK became the first nation to begin their vaccination protocol via the National Health Service. Canada announced that it was not far behind the UK and US and will likely start their plans imminently.

As the death toll from COVID-19 surpasses 300,000 in the US, this vaccine is a big relief for healthcare workers that have been facing innumerable loss. As mask wearing and social distancing remain crucial in the fight against COVID-related deaths, high-risk individuals and healthcare workers will be the first to receive the vaccine.

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