El Paso’s 1st shots are given at University Medical Center after virus vaccine arrives
We now have FIVE VACCINATED FRONT LINE NURSES! Congratulations El Paso. These heroic 5 say they are now anxious to get back to work and keep fighting this virus. #BreakingNews @abc7breaking pic.twitter.com/39tIw0Z3bc
— Michael Gordon KVIA ABC-7 (@MichaelGordonTV) December 15, 2020
EL PASO, Texas – Officials with University Medical Center welcomed the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines on Tuesday morning, with a top UMC official saying "it was like Christmas had come early."
Around 10:35 a.m., a UPS truck carrying 2,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine pulled into the back lot of UMC, where hospital representatives carefully took the package and wheeled the vaccine vials into UMC.
The vials were immediately placed into the cold storage facility of the hospital pharmacy.
The first batch of doses will be used for nurses, doctors and others who are exposed daily to the virus. The first shots at UMC were given on Tuesday afternoon to five nurses at the hospital, with the attending physician describing the vaccine as "liquid gold.”
“I’ve been wanting this for a long time,” said one of those nurses while her vaccine was administered.
In addition to its own staff, UMC said it will also vaccinate front-line staff from El Paso Children’s Hospital, Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso and the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Vaccinations for the general public will not be available at this time, but are expected to begin during the first two months of 2021.
#BREAKING @abc7breaking The vaccine is here! 2,900 vials successfully transferred into UMC and vaccinations will begin in about 3 hours. Here is historic moment when the vaccines arrived! pic.twitter.com/T7CO3L7NOb
— Michael Gordon KVIA ABC-7 (@MichaelGordonTV) December 15, 2020
