COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer releases doses in U.S. and healthcare workers are first to be inoculated in major states

COVID-19 vaccines are already available, and Pfizer just delivered them in different states. California is one of the first recipients, and five healthcare workers at the Kaiser Permanente hospital were the first batch of people to be inoculated on Dec. 14.

First batch of vaccine arrives in California

The Los Angeles Times reported that Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor Eric Garcetti, County Supervisor Hilda Solis and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly were all present when the country’s first health workers received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

It was said that this will be the start of what was described as a long campaign to vaccinate the people of California. It will all begin with the frontliners and then the public will start getting their shots as well.

The conference room of the Kaiser hospital was turned into a temporary vaccination center as its employees lined up for their COVID-19 vaccine. The response of the onlookers was great as they were cheering after each worker receive their shot.

“We are in the midst of the worst moment of this pandemic,” Newsom said. “So today is hopeful, and it’s reason to be optimistic, but let’s be mindful of where we really are.”

As of this time, California received 33,150 doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The state initially allocated around 327,000 doses, and a big portion will be delivered to acute-care hospitals. In total, Gov. Newsom said California is expecting to get at least 2.1 million doses before the year closes.

COVID-19 vaccine in New York

Aside from Los Angeles, New York also received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines on the same day. For the early recipients, Sandra Lindsay, a nurse in the ICU at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, was listed as the first one to get vaccinated in the state. She is now among the first in the U.S. to get the shot against the virus, CNN reported.

"I'm feeling well,” Lindsay said after getting her shot. “I would like to thank all the frontline workers, all my colleagues who have been doing a yeoman's job to fight this pandemic all over the world and I feel hopeful today, relieved."

The nurse added that she feels like healing is finally coming. She also hopes that the COVID-19 vaccination marks the start of the end of “a very painful time in our history."

Lindsay is set to get her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine after 21 days. With the shot, she will now be able to visit her family, friends and co-workers safely.