DAVENPORT, Iowa — Genesis Health System on Tuesday began vaccinating its frontline healthcare workers with Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. About 1,000 doses of the vaccine arrived early in the day at Genesis East in Davenport in ultracold packaging.
"It’s a big relief, honestly," said Dr. Robert Mixsell, Genesis Convenient Care Medical Director. "It’s been such a long dark year, that it’s nice to actually have some light at the end of the tunnel."
Administrators said about 50 doctors, nurses and other workers received the first of two doses Tuesday. They will require another shot in about three weeks for the vaccine's full protection.
"We won’t have to worry about them getting sick. We won’t have to worry about staffing levels falling short," Dr. Mixsell said.
Dr. Mixsell and Emergency Department Nurse Alli Edmunds were two of the first healthcare workers in the Quad Cities to receive the shot at a press conference. Asked by a reporter how it felt, Edmunds responded with a laugh, "It's good! One of the better pokes that I've gotten," she said.
There were many smiles and words of gratitude in this long awaited moment. It's been a difficult year for healthcare workers, especially those who care for COVID patients in the ICU.
"Making the tough decision to intubate patients," said Dr. Brian Witt of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit. "And the toughest thing is just seeing the fear in their eyes. Whether they’re going to wake up."
There is is also a realization among healthcare workers as they roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine that they are making history.
"My hope is that I can share that with my grandchildren and say hey, I lived through the COVID pandemic, and I got that ice-cold vaccine and I didn’t turn into a zombie," said family practice physician Dr. Michael Persson.