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Kent County Health Department administers first COVID-19 vaccine doses to staff

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Posted at 4:47 PM, Dec 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-18 16:48:10-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Kent County Health Department administered its first doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to staff members Friday.

Mary Wisinski, immunizations supervisor, was the first to receive the vaccine, according to the health department.

“This is an incredible day,” Wisinski said. “We’ve been working so hard to battle this virus, and some days, it felt like it got the best of us. This isn’t one of those days. This gives us hope – we're going to beat this.”

Wisinski will lead the health department’s team of immunization nurses in administering vaccines in the months ahead.

The Kent County Health Department shipment contained 1,950 doses that will go to individuals in some of the highest-risk groups, as designated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The department will first administer the vaccine to staff responsible for administering the vaccine and Kent County area medical first responders.

Area hospitals have also begun administering early doses to frontline health care workers in their facilities this week.

SEE MORE: Kalamazoo hospitals administer first doses of COVID-19 vaccine to frontline workers

SEE MORE: Mercy Health, Saint Joseph Mercy Health System receive Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

SEE MORE: Bronson Methodist Hospital to start vaccinating employees Thursday afternoon