Mon Valley Hospital health care workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Robert Reiland, a registered nurse at Monongahela Valley Hospital, received the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday. Sheila Amati, a registered nurse in MVH’s operating room, administered the shot. The hospital has received 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Mary Ann Konsugar, manager of MVH MultiPlex Imaging, was among the frontlline healthcare workers who received Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday. Amanda Turnbull, care coordinator for MVH’s Community Care Network, gave the shot.
Mary Ann Konsugar woke up Wednesday morning, eager to arrive at work at Monongahela Valley Hospital.
Konsugar, a registered radiologic technologist, was among the first health care workers at the hospital to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, marking a significant milestone in the fight against the pandemic that has killed more than 300,000 Americans.
“I had chills all morning just thinking that I was going to have the opportunity to get this just to stay safe, and hopefully we’re going to put an end to this so we can be together again with friends and family, because it’s been so hard,” said Konsugar, manager of MVH’s MultiPlex Imaging facility.
Mon Valley Hospital received 975 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine Monday via UPS.
The hospital began administering the vaccine to front-line workers at 7 a.m. Wednesday in the community room of the Anthony M. Lombardi Education Conference Center.
Employees, who for months have dealt with COVID-19 on a daily basis, continued to line up over the course of the day to receive the vaccine.
“This is the next, most important step that we can take to fight the pandemic,” said Donna Ramusivich, senior vice president at MVH. “It is the next step to protect our staff, to protect our community and hopefully to decrease this volume of cases we’re seeing.”
The vaccine’s arrival was the first time in months, doctors and nurses said, they felt some optimism and relief.
“This is very significant. It’s difficult upstairs in these units, with all of these patients with COVID. It’s very stressful to the whole system here,” said Robert Reiland, a registered nurse. “I’m optimistic. I’m hoping we can get this (vaccine) out to everyone, and the craziness at the hospital slows down, and the amount of people who are really sick and dying from this declines.”
The vaccine – authorized by the Federal Food and Drug Administration for emergency use last Friday – comes at a time when COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths are at an all-time high across the United States and locally.
Washington County surpassed 100 COVID deaths Wednesday.
Ramusivich said cases have spiked dramatically at MVH in recent weeks.
In November, the hospital saw 293 in-patient and out-patient COVID cases. In the first 15 days of December, that number has soared to 376 COVID-19 patients.
Ramusivich said within a week, the hospital will distribute its vaccines to healthcare workers, first responders, and staff and residents at the Residence at Hilltop, MVH’s long-term care facility.
The vaccine requires two doses, which must be administered within about 21 days.
Dr. Hiram Gonzalez, a general/gastrointestinal surgeon at MVH, said the vaccine is an important part of moving forward and getting out of the pandemic.
It also will provide him some peace of mind as he continues to work on the front line of the fight against the pandemic
“It is like there is a sense that you’re protected to be able to take care of patients. And it also gives you the sense that you’re hopefully not going to get sick and bring it home to your family,” he said.
Mon Valley Hospital is among 87 hospitals across the state that are receiving the initial 97,500 vaccine doses directly from Pfizer.
In a historic scientific achievement, the vaccine was developed in less than a year after COVID-19 was identified.
“It’s very remarkable, and it’s very exciting,” said Ramusivich. “I am confident that even though they call it ‘Operation Warp Speed’ that no safety measures were overlooked or skipped.”
The hospital launched a campaign to promote the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
“Definitely get the vaccine, because the only way we’re going to end this is for everyone to get the vaccine so that we’re all safe,” Konsugar said. “If not enough people get it, it’s a fruitless effort.”
Health care workers caution COVID-19 numbers likely will worsen over the Christmas holiday. The Centers for Disease Control recommends the safest way to celebrate is to stay at home with people who live with you and urges people to follow recommended safety measures.
“Just because you got the vaccine, you still have to protect yourself and others,” said Dr. Gonzalez. “You still need to wear a mask, you still need to social distance, you still need to wash your hands, until the numbers start going down and more people get vaccinated.”
Reiland agreed.
“Everyone can’t get the vaccine, so you’ve got to protect the people who can’t get it as well,” he said.