The first doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center (TLRMC) Tuesday afternoon.
Early Tuesday evening, Dr. Hani Bleibel, a hospitalist at Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center was the first hospital employee to receive the vaccine. He is pleased to know that the process will begin protecting not only his patients, but his family members.
“I am getting this vaccine in order to help achieve herd immunity against COVID-19,” said Dr. Bleibel.
“We have been preparing for receipt and administration of the vaccine since we were notified that we would be a recipient,” said Brittany Clemons, Chief Quality Officer at TLRMC. “We have seen firsthand the devastating impact of the virus on our patients, physicians, healthcare workers and the community.”
The vaccine will be administered in accordance with priorities recommended by the Kentucky Department for Public Health. The Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Moderna vaccine on December 18 after conducting a thorough evaluation of the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. The Moderna vaccine requires a second dose in 28 days.
“While the arrival of the vaccine is a game changer in the fight against this pandemic, we recognize that the delivery of subsequent vaccine for the general public will take time. Even though there is light at the end of the tunnel, we must continue to wear a mask, practice proper hand hygiene and maintain social distance,” Wayne Meriwether, CEO of TLRMC stated.
Additional information on COVID-19 can be obtained from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center
