The COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Sweetwater County; 130 vaccinated hospital workers

Rock arches – A COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Sweetwater County. The Wyoming Department of Health has issued 975 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Vaccination of welcome workers at Memorial Hospital in Sweetwater County began immediately.

“We didn’t want to wait,” said MHSC pathologist Dr. Cielette Karn. “There are people who want to get vaccinated now. There are really a lot of people who want to continue this. “

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ICS MHSC nurse Weston Turner was the first person in Sweetwater County to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

“I am honored to be part of such an important occasion,” Turner said. “It’s all about helping COVID find a cure.”

Turner, who worked for the hospital for only three days, said the shot did not hurt, but “it would have been better with a beer.”

Tiffany Uranker Webb, an emergency nurse who worked for the hospital for 11 years, said she received the vaccine because of her mother, who has cancer.

“I think everyone needs to be vaccinated to keep everyone safe,” Webb said. “If you can be part of the solution and not part of the problem, it’s best.”

Urologist Dr. Cody Christensen, the first doctor in the county to receive the vaccine, said he wants to be vaccinated as soon as possible, in an effort to keep his patients safe.

“I see a lot of patients every day,” Christensen said. “I do this especially for their protection.”

Surgical technician Jessica Macy said the decision to be vaccinated was a bit shaky at first. She said that social networks spread a lot of untruths and she knew she would not find the answers there. Instead, she turned to her colleagues.

“I looked at my co-workers, talked to them and decided to do it,” she said. “Is very interesting.”

Christensen said he would tell anyone he would not get the vaccine to follow the science and data.

Nurse LeAnn Randall said that’s exactly what she did. After analyzing the science behind it, she was not at all afraid to roll up her sleeves.

Registered nurse Sarah Christensen and anesthesiologist Dr. Steven Croft both said they did not have COVID-19 and wanted to receive the vaccine as soon as possible.

“I got here, give me the vaccine,” said Sarah Christensen.

They were among the first in a long line of people at Sweetwater Memorial who lined up on Tuesday afternoon to receive the first of two vaccine doses. In about four hours, about 130 hospital workers were vaccinated.

The vaccine arrived late Tuesday morning in a specially designed, temperature-controlled heat transport container. Pfizer uses dry ice to maintain the recommended storage temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to 10 days unopened. It is now stored in a very low temperature freezer at the Sweetwater Memorial.

Of the 975 doses received, 75 percent are reserved for the Sweetwater Memorial, which will also coordinate a vaccination program with agencies such as SMEs, firefighters and police. The other 25 percent is used by Castle Rock Medical Center and Sweetwater County Public Health, which also coordinates a vaccination program with other agencies.

“There is coordination between entities that everyone in that group 1A is taking care of,” said Public Health Director Kim Lionberger. “We will also coordinate a vaccination program as we move to the next steps.”

Sweetwater County also expects to receive a shipment of Modern vaccines. Both Moderna vaccines and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines require two vaccines: a primer dose, followed by a booster shot. The interval between Modern doses is 28 days; for the Pfizer vaccine, it’s 21 days.


THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT. OF HEALTH

What to do if you feel sick: If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and have symptoms, please call your primary care provider or seek medical attention.

Please follow these tips to slow the spread of this virus:

  • Obey public health orders
  • Wear cloth faces in public environments, especially when the physical distance of at least 6 feet is not practical.
  • Stay home when you’re sick and avoid other people unless you need medical attention.
  • Avoid close contact with sick people.
  • The elderly and those with health conditions this means that they are more likely to get seriously ill should avoid close contact situations.
  • Long-term care and health care services must follow the guidelines for infection control and prevention.

For current news, updates, closures and resources, please visit the COVID-19 Coronavirus page here.

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