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Healing is Coming - February 2021 - Subscribe to Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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"I just wanted the shot in my arm," says Ms. Lindsay, director of critical care at Northwell Health's Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center in Queens, N.Y. "That was the first step. Then I knew there was hope, and healing could begin." She got her wish on December 14, when she became the first American to receive the vaccine outside of a clinical trial. Ms. Lindsay knew she would be among the first hospital employees to receive the vaccine, and understood the enormity of the moment. She knew there'd be a press confer- ence and wasn't surprised when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo showed up. What she didn't anticipate in the days that fol- lowed were the countless media requests, and the appearances on local news stations and national talk shows. She certainly didn't dream of being chosen to represent the nation's healthcare work- ers during the nationally televised gala celebrating President Joe Biden's inauguration. "I never expected to receive so much attention," she says, "but it's given me a platform to share my experi- ences and have productive conversations about the vaccine." Ms. Lindsay received her second dose on January 4. Being fully vaccinated left her feeling energized and lighter, like a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Still, she had mixed emotions about being one of the first Americans to reach the other side of the pandemic. She was now protected against the virus, but mil- lions of Americans remain at risk of exposure. Ms. Lindsay says LIJ saw a recent spike in cases similar to what the hospital experienced a year ago during the pandemic's first wave. "The virus is still out there," she says. "Although I'm hopeful for the healing the vaccines will bring, I'm fearful for the people who are still suffering. Word is spreading about the importance of being vaccinated. Hopefully, we'll start to feel safer and begin to reclaim our lives." Operation Warp Speed, a public-private part- nership launched last year to accelerate the manu- facturing and distribution of Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines, intended to deliver 300 million doses by the end of 2020 and ensure 80% of the nation's population is vaccinated by June. The ambitious goals have so far gone unmet — 48 million doses were distributed as of last month and serious doubts remain if herd immunity can be achieved before the fall — due to the lack of a fed- erally coordinated distribution plan, overwhelming demand and supply shortages. The rollout is in des- perate need of a boost as nationwide deaths have steadily climbed past 400,000. Erin Duffy, RN, an administrator at Ambulatory Surgery Center of Greater New York, located in the Bronx, received her first dose of the COVID-19 vac- cine on January 10, only after researching for hours online to find available appointments for her and her staff. Ms. Duffy expected her team to have immediate access to the vaccines, but noticed doses were initially made available only to large hospitals, most of which are owned by huge corporations. "We thought the vaccine would help pull us out of the financial issues and the mental stress the pan- demic has caused," she says. "We administer flu vaccines to ourselves every year. Why couldn't we have done that with the vaccine?" Ms. Duffy believes smaller hospitals and sur- F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 1 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T • 1 9 EASY CALL Stephanie Vasquez, RN, believes getting vaccinated was part of her ethical obligation as a healthcare provider. Stephanie Vasquez

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