COVID-19 vaccine comes to Douglas County

COVID-19 vaccine comes to Douglas County

It was a big day for mercy medical center in roseburg... as they gave health professionals the first doses of the pfizer coronavirus vaccine in douglas county.

Kezi 9 news reporter evita garza shows us why they say the battle isn't over yet.

Trt: 1:33 00:00 take lower the day is finally here.

The pfizer covid-19 vaccine has made its way to douglas county& after ten long months of uncertainty.

Nat:?did it hurt?

No, it doesn hurt at all.

Nothing more than a bee sting?

The hospital recieved their first shipment of the new vaccine thursday, which contained 975 doses.

30 employees were selected to get the vaccine friday consisted of doctors, nurses and adminstrators.

They kept the number small& so they can monitor how each person body reacts.

Among that group was chief medical officer jason gray?who got the first dose.

00:40 jason gray, cheif medical officer, mercy medical center:?this is really a historic day for mercy, for our state and for our community as we try to get back to normalcy?

The second person was infectious disease specialist brad robinson.

He says he wanted to do this& to show his staff and patients that there is nothing to worry about.

00:56 brad robinson, infectious disease specialist, mercy medical center: obviously the more vaccination uptake we have, the quicker we can achieve immunity in the community?

1:05 evita:?even though the vaccine is finally in douglas county, gray say this isn an excuse for people to stop social distancing and wearing their mask??if we can endure just a little while longer as we get the majority of our citizens vaccinated, then we can start the steps to get back to normal?

Gray says they will begin vaccinating the rest of their employees next week.

He says it not mandatory& but it strongly encouraged.

In roseburg evita garza kezi