Following weeks of preparation, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, began administering the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine to its high-risk, frontline employees today.
The hospital opened its employee vaccine clinic at 9 a.m. with Chief of Infectious Disease physician Dr. Sandeepa Utpat as the first to receive the vaccine. She is a resident of Freehold and noted how she was honored to be a part of something that would help to get us back to some ‘normalcy.’ Dr. Utpat has been working tirelessly with Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus patients throughout the pandemic.
“It felt like a normal vaccine, with no burning or anything unusual,” she said after receiving the vaccine. Following a 15-minute observation period, she said she felt great and was ready to return to work.
“It was a very exciting and emotional day for us as our first heroes were vaccinated,” said Eric Carney, president and CEO of Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus. “For me, it brings hope that we, alongside our community, are on a path that returns to wellness. The availability of the vaccine marks a major milestone in our collective recovery from COVID-19.”
The hospital stated: “RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH) has been working diligently with the state to support the New Jersey Department of Health’s ambitious vaccination plan to get 70 percent of the state’s adult population vaccinated in six months. As the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Heath is committed to treating and saving the lives of patients with COVID-19, and also to fighting the spread of the disease, protecting its team members and ending the pandemic. With the opening of its employee vaccine clinic today, Monmouth Medical Center is proud to be an integral part of the national and New Jersey COVID-19 vaccination effort. Public health officials and medical experts believe vaccination is an important step in helping to prevent or lessen the effect of COVID-19 and its potentially devastating consequences.”
The Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine received emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 11, 2020. Vaccine safety and efficacy for Pfizer’s vaccine has been issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the FDA. FDA authorization of a vaccine means the agency has determined, based on substantial evidence and a stringent review process, that the vaccine is safe and effective for its intended use. The vaccine has been shown to be 95 percent effective and requires two doses received 21 days apart. The vaccine is voluntary for employees and medical staff and is being offered free of charge.
“Due to limited supply, the vaccine is being given in phases based on prioritization order,” the hospital said. “The prioritization order for RWJBarnabas Health staff is determined by the risk of contracting COVID-19 from exposures while at work, primarily by job setting. RWJBarnabas Health facilities expect to vaccinate staff over a six-week period (weeks 1-3 first dose; weeks 4-6 second dose).”
My husband received his vaccine there this morning.
I’m serious.
I think everyone should get the vaccine