First doses of coronavirus vaccine administered at Samaritan

MOSES LAKE — The first doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech were administered in Moses Lake Thursday to two doctors at Samaritan Hospital.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrea Carter and Family Medicine Dr. Jazab Ali Sheikh rolled up their sleeves early in the morning to receive the first of the two-dose vaccine, hoping to encourage others in the medical field and the community to take part in vaccinations.

“They stepped forward as medical leaders in our community who also see patients every day, to share in unison why it’s so important for the medical community to come forward, sign up for a vaccine, and get it done,” said Gretchen Youngren, executive director of development and communications for Samaritan, in a Thursday interview.

Carter expressed understanding for those skeptical of the vaccine, which was developed within months.

“I would say that probably part of the reason that they’re weary is because the vaccine was developed so rapidly, and that’s not the norm in our country,” Carter said. “But there’s no unsafe reason why it couldn’t be developed as rapidly as it was.”

The vaccines used Thursday were part of Samaritan’s first shipment of 975 doses, which primarily will be administered through a drive-thru at the hospital and at Samaritan’s recently opened drive-thru at the Pioneer Clinic. As Carter and Sheikh were finishing their injections, a line of medical professionals started to build in the clinic’s parking lot.

For the healthcare workers gathered at the clinic Thursday, it was an emotional moment. Jan Sternberg, a registered nurse of 40 years and Samaritan’s Chief of Patient Care Services, said the vaccine was like the light at the end of a tunnel.

“Nobody has ever gone through anything like this in health care,” she said. “This truly has been devastating to so many. I’ve lost family members and friends.”

“I am grateful that we were able to get a vaccine pushed out so quickly, and I’m grateful for the team that I work with to be able to administer this safely and take care of the people in our communities,” she added.

The vaccinations held a special significance for Sheikh, who is the father of a four-week-old baby.

“Twenty-eight days exactly today at 8:24 p.m.,” Sheikh said.

As a new father, Sheikh said he was thinking about “setting an example, making the world go back to normal for my little one, so that we can actually go outside and go for trips, and be normal, and not have to worry about this.”

Chelsi Leavitt, a registered nurse who used to work in the hospital’s mother-baby unit and currently is in obstetrics and gynecology, said she came to get her first dose to help life return to normal for her third-grader and preschooler.

“I’m tired. That’s why I came to the clinic, because I was just tired and want to return to normal,” Leavitt said. “I’m feeling nervous, but I also feel excited. This is history.”

Michelle Schmidt, an X-ray technician at the Pioneer Clinic with 30 years of experience in health care, was one of the first confirmed COVID-19 cases in Grant County in late March and early April, she said.

“I couldn’t wait for this vaccine to come through,” Schmidt said. “Even though I’ve had it and I feel slightly protected, nobody really knows, so I want (to do) everything possible I can to keep my family safe so we can help other people who are hesitant.”

An additional 975 vaccines are expected to arrive nearly every week, Youngren said Thursday. However, Gov. Jay Inslee announced in a tweet Thursday morning the Centers for Disease Control recently informed state officials that vaccine allocation for all 50 states would be cut by 40%.

“No explanation was given,” Inslee tweeted.

As of Thursday evening, Samaritan had not heard how the decrease in allocation would affect the vaccine supply in Grant County, Youngren said.