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Pictured is Shawn Covell, Kaleida's first COVID-19 vaccine recipient. (Photos courtesy of Joe Cascio/Kaleida Health).
Pictured is Shawn Covell, Kaleida's first COVID-19 vaccine recipient. (Photos courtesy of Joe Cascio/Kaleida Health).

Kaleida Health begins coronavirus vaccines

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Wed, Dec 16th 2020 02:40 pm

Kaleida Health received its first supply of COVID-19 vaccines on Monday and began vaccinations late that afternoon for physicians, nurses and staff who work in high-risk areas across the health system.

Shawn Covell, a critical care nurse in the intensive care unit at Buffalo General Medical Center, was the first frontline health care worker at Kaleida Health to receive the vaccine. Laura Goetz, a nurse in employee health at Buffalo General Medical Center, administered the first COVID-19 vaccine.

Facts About COVID-19 Vaccination Program at Kaleida Health

√ Vaccination will be voluntary.

√ Per New York state directive, vaccines will be offered first to employees, providers and residents working in high-risk areas and then opened up to those in other areas as vaccine supply allows and in line with the expectations set forth in the New York State Department of Health prioritization matrix.

√ Kaleida Health’s allocation of vaccines is dictated by New York state.

√ Vaccines will be a two-part process, which will be 21 days apart (Note: Different vaccines require shots at different intervals).

√ While these vaccines are being developed as quickly as possible, routine processes and procedures remain in place to ensure the safety of any vaccine that is authorized or approved for use.

√ According to Pfizer data presented to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), these vaccines are 95% effective with severe adverse reactions occurring in 0.0% to 4.6% of participants.

A press release said, “Kaleida Health encourages everyone who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves, their families, their co-workers and their patients and residents, particularly those at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. By choosing to get vaccinated, you can also help lower transmission rates and flatten the curve in our community.”

As participants in the state’s COVID-19 vaccination program and in accordance with the memorandum of understanding issued by the NYSDOH, Kaleida Health is adhering to confidentiality requirements as they relate to vaccine quantities received, the number of vaccinations completed and vaccine storage information.

Pictured is Shawn Covell, Kaleida’s first COVID-19 vaccine recipient. (Photos courtesy of Joe Cascio/Kaleida Health).

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