COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives in San Juan County

Marcus Appleton, RN/Clinical Educator prepares to administer a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (Courtesy SJRMC)

San Juan Regional Medical Center has received the first of two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine must be stored at -70° C. Ultra-cold freezers are on-site to ensure that all of our vaccine allotment is properly stored until it can be administered. Our plan is to administer the vaccine to our caregivers through a tiered approach. The second dose will be administered three weeks after the first dose.

From San Juan Regional Medical Center

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

 San Juan Regional Medical Center has received the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and has begun immediate distribution for our caregivers. Our Incident Command team, along with key staff in our Pharmacy and Nursing Administration, has spent weeks behind the scenes preparing for the vaccine’s arrival in order to ensure safe and effective storage and deployment.

                “I am very humbled by the speed and efficiency that has brought this vaccine to us,” said Clinical Scholar and Nursing Education Manager Trish Maule. “This is something we desperately need and I am thankful that our hospital has the infrastructure to be able to offer the vaccine to our caregivers this early.”

                “Lots of planning went into making sure we received this vaccine. I am thankful for our staff and the collaboration we have with the healthcare providers at the hospital,” added Pharmacy Manager Mark Winters.

                We have received the first of two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine must be stored at -70° C. Ultra-cold freezers are on-site to ensure that all of our vaccine allotment is properly stored until it can be administered. Our plan is to administer the vaccine to our caregivers through a tiered approach. The second dose will be administered three weeks after the first dose.

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The box containing 975 doses of the vaccine is placed in the ultra-cold freezer

“Our healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19 having been working tirelessly since March to provide care to patients hospitalized with COVID-19.  But doing so requires all the tools we have available. We are strongly encouraging our caregivers to get the COVID-19 vaccine to help protect themselves, save lives and be part of the beginning of the end of this pandemic,” said Jeff Bourgeois, San Juan Regional Medical Center President and CEO. “The COVID-19 vaccine is one more tool in our arsenal that we can use to reduce the spread of this virus and save lives.”

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