Nebraska Hospitals Receive Second COVID Vaccine; Innoculate First Line Workers

The staff at Saunders Medical Center in Wahoo were in a very good mood and eager to get started inoculating co-workers with the newest available COVID vaccine.

“We’re pulling them in out of the hallways now!” called out a nurse staffing the impromptu vaccination assembly line in the hospital's surgical unit.

Shortly after 9:00 am Monday morning the insulated box carrying the Moderna vaccine arrived. By mid-afternoon the director of clinics, nurse Stacie Sabatka watched as the first of her co-workers rolled up their sleeves.

“Wonderful,” she told a visitor, her eyes obviously smiling above her mask. “We have a lot of hope today. The vaccine is here and everyone is really excited.”

According to state officials, Moderna intends to supply Nebraska with 32,400 doses of its newly approved COVID-19 in the first of its shipments. By the end of the week 112 sites around the state are expected to receive their allotment. Saunders Medical was one of the first in Nebraska to get its shipment.

There was medicine enough for 200 injections inside the container received by the 16-bed facility. While the Moderna vaccine does not require the super-cold storage demanded of those receiving Pfizer’s version released last week, Saunders does have the necessary freezer and could, in the future, receive and store either of the medicines.

At least 25 staff at Saunders Medical were scheduled to roll up their sleeves on Monday. The first to arrive including doctors, nurses, those providing drive-up COVID testing and even some food service workers.

Sabatka explained “those who are in most contact with those who have COVID or potentially could have COVID” had the highest priority within the organization.

“We want to keep our front line staff going,” she said.

Faced with a needle stick to the arm, all those lining up kept their smiles. Several posed for photos to share online, encouraging family and friends to get vaccinated once there are sufficient supplies for the general public. The mood was almost giddy, with some acknowledging it was a time to feel some relief after a year of coping with patient after patient infected with the coronavirus.

The staff at Saunders Medical Center in Wahoo were in a very good mood and eager to get started inoculating co-workers with the newest available COVID vaccine.

“We’re pulling them in out of the hallways now!” called out a nurse staffing the impromptu vaccination assembly line in the hospital's surgical unit.

Shortly after 9:00 am Monday morning the insulated box carrying the Moderna vaccine arrived. By mid-afternoon the director of clinics, nurse Stacie Sabatka watched as the first of her co-workers rolled up their sleeves.

“Wonderful,” she told a visitor, her eyes obviously smiling above her mask. “We have a lot of hope today. The vaccine is here and everyone is really excited.”

According to state officials, Moderna intends to supply Nebraska with 32,000 doses of its newly approved COVID-19 in the first of its shipments. Saunders Medical was one of the first in Nebraska to get its shipment.

There was medicine enough for 200 injections inside the container received by the 16-bed facility. While the Moderna vaccine does not require the super-cold storage demanded of those receiving Pfizer’s version released last week, Saunders does have the necessary freezer and could, in the future, received either type of the medicine.

At least 25 staff at Saunders Medical were scheduled to roll up their sleeves on Monday. The first to arrive including doctors, nurses, those providing drive-up COVID testing, and even some food service workers.

Sabatka explained “those who are in most contact with those who have COVID or potentially could have COVID” had the highest priority within the organization.

“We want to keep our front line staff going,” she said.

Faced with a needle stick to the arm, all those lining up kept their smiles. Several posed for photos to share online, encouraging family and friends to get vaccinated once there are sufficient supplies for the general public. The mood was almost giddy, with some acknowledging it was a time to feel some relief after a year of coping with patient after patient infected with the coronavirus.

Within a week DHHS anticipates an additional shipment of 11,700 doses from Pfizer to arrive. The entire allocation, according to the daily COVID update "will be reserved and used to support efforts in our long-term care facilities." The vaccination program will be administered primarily by pharmacies around the state.