ORLANDO, Fla. – Frontline workers lined up Wednesday morning inside AdventHealth Orlando to receive their first dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.
Nurse Manager Susan Upper was one of the first to receive the shot.
“I got mine at the beginning of my shift and I felt fine. My arm is a little bit sore now, but other than that, I felt good and got through my shifts,” Upper said.
AdventHealth says thousands of other frontline workers signed up to get the vaccine.
“We had to wait for 30 minutes after (getting the vaccine) to make sure there are no adverse reactions ... just as a precautionary manner,” said Dr. Eduardo Oliveira, AdventHealth chief executive. “It’s a historic moment, what’s been accomplished. What’s been accomplished in such a short period of time was unthinkable. A few months ago, we did not have much hope that we would see this coming. This is pretty exciting.”
AdventHealth says it is expecting to receive a second batch of vaccines in the next few weeks and will administer a second dose.
Vaccine or not, frontline workers will still be required to wear PPE and socially distance when possible, according to AdventHealth.
Dr. Oliveira says the vaccine gives them some peace of mind.
“It’s a big deal for us to know that we have the extra level of protection. We all want to sacrifice and help our patients and with the vaccine, at least we have a higher level of protection and peace of mind for our families,” Oliveira said.
The extra doses will be shared with frontline workers in Lake and Volusia counties.