Moderna arrives at Cox Monett
December 23, 2020
Sheila Harris
On Friday, December 18, the FDA granted approval for the emergency use of Moderna, the second vaccine in the fight against COVID-19, and the vaccine CoxHealth will be offering their employees.
In a media briefing Thursday, December 17, CoxHealth CEO, Steve Edwards, indicated that a plan was in place to distribute the vaccine to all of its facilities as soon as it was initially delivered to Springfield after FDA approval.
“Our first vaccine at CoxHealth in Springfield will be given to key RNs beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, December 21,” he said.
Janell Patton, spokesperson for Cox Monett, said their first employee will be vaccinated at 6 a.m., on December 22.
Edwards said CoxHealth will receive an initial allotment of 7,000 vaccines, which must be used within a ten-day time-frame, with first rights given to direct patient caregivers, and second rights to other patient-facing personnel, such as those who work in registration and housekeeping.
Vaccines will not be mandated for employees Edwards said, in part because of the short supply.
“We have asked employees interested in taking the vaccine to pre-register,” Edwards said. “So far (as of December 17) we’ve had about 5,000 of our employees do so.
“Of those who have not registered, we’re hearing that some are concerned about the unknown risks of a new vaccine, and others - of child-bearing age - have received false information regarding the vaccine’s implications for future fertility.”
While Edwards does understand the initial hesitation, he says he is prepared to roll his own sleeve up when it’s his turn to receive the vaccine.
“Those who register now,” he said, “may be given a spot on the calendar several weeks out. By that time, they will know how the first round of vaccinated employees have responded to the vaccine, and decide from that point whether to move forward with it.”
As a safety precaution, those who receive the vaccination will be held for a 15-minute observation period after they are vaccinated, Edwards said.
“It will be a challenge to vaccinate 7,000 people throughout all of our facilities within the 10-day window over the holidays,” Edwards said, “but we typically vaccinate 12,000 people every year during flu season, so we’re familiar with the process.”
The 10-day vaccination requirement by the state has nothing to do with the shelf-life of the vaccine, which does not need the ultra-cold storage required by the Pfizer vaccine. Rather, it represents the state’s effort to encourage recipients to administer the vaccine, as opposed to hoarding it.
The Moderna vaccine administered by CoxHealth will require a second, follow-up dose in 28 days.
The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose of vaccine 21 days after the initial injection.
On Friday, December 18, the FDA granted approval for the emergency use of Moderna, the second vaccine in the fight against COVID-19, and the vaccine CoxHealth will be offering their employees.
In a media briefing Thursday, December 17, CoxHealth CEO, Steve Edwards, indicated that a plan was in place to distribute the vaccine to all of its facilities as soon as it was initially delivered to Springfield after FDA approval.
“Our first vaccine at CoxHealth in Springfield will be given to key RNs beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, December 21,” he said.
Janell Patton, spokesperson for Cox Monett, said their first employee will be vaccinated at 6 a.m., on December 22.
Edwards said CoxHealth will receive an initial allotment of 7,000 vaccines, which must be used within a ten-day time-frame, with first rights given to direct patient caregivers, and second rights to other patient-facing personnel, such as those who work in registration and housekeeping.
Vaccines will not be mandated for employees Edwards said, in part because of the short supply.
“We have asked employees interested in taking the vaccine to pre-register,” Edwards said. “So far (as of December 17) we’ve had about 5,000 of our employees do so.
“Of those who have not registered, we’re hearing that some are concerned about the unknown risks of a new vaccine, and others - of child-bearing age - have received false information regarding the vaccine’s implications for future fertility.”
While Edwards does understand the initial hesitation, he says he is prepared to roll his own sleeve up when it’s his turn to receive the vaccine.
“Those who register now,” he said, “may be given a spot on the calendar several weeks out. By that time, they will know how the first round of vaccinated employees have responded to the vaccine, and decide from that point whether to move forward with it.”
As a safety precaution, those who receive the vaccination will be held for a 15-minute observation period after they are vaccinated, Edwards said.
“It will be a challenge to vaccinate 7,000 people throughout all of our facilities within the 10-day window over the holidays,” Edwards said, “but we typically vaccinate 12,000 people every year during flu season, so we’re familiar with the process.”
The 10-day vaccination requirement by the state has nothing to do with the shelf-life of the vaccine, which does not need the ultra-cold storage required by the Pfizer vaccine. Rather, it represents the state’s effort to encourage recipients to administer the vaccine, as opposed to hoarding it.
The Moderna vaccine administered by CoxHealth will require a second, follow-up dose in 28 days.
The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose of vaccine 21 days after the initial injection.
Cara Galloway, pharmacy technician, transports Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to the hospital’s pharmacy to prepare for frontline staff vaccinations set to begin on Tuesday, Dec. 22.
Shown above, Cheryl Webb, an RN at Cox Monett, was the first recipient of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday morning.
The first COVID-19 vaccines were administered to frontline staff at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Cox Monett.
Cheryl Webb, RN, was the staff member chosen to receive the first shot. Applause filled the conference room as the first dose was administered.
“Back in March I had the opportunity to go to New York to help fight the pandemic on the frontlines,” said Webb. “God was pulling at my heart to help, so I knew this was what I had to do.”
In July, Webb was presented with another opportunity to go to Texas to work in a hospital’s COVID-19 unit. Unfortunately, the surge in patients followed her back to southwest Missouri where she has worked locally at Cox South and Cox Monett caring for COVID-19 patients.
“The chance to take the vaccine meant the world to me,” she said. “I want life to get back to normal and this was my chance to fight back at the virus that has taken so much from so many people. So many of my patients didn’t get a chance to fight back, so this is my chance to fight for them.”
Cox Monett received 100 doses of Moderna’s vaccine with more arriving next week. In total, five vaccine clinics will be held for employees over a two-week period.
Cheryl Webb, RN, was the staff member chosen to receive the first shot. Applause filled the conference room as the first dose was administered.
“Back in March I had the opportunity to go to New York to help fight the pandemic on the frontlines,” said Webb. “God was pulling at my heart to help, so I knew this was what I had to do.”
In July, Webb was presented with another opportunity to go to Texas to work in a hospital’s COVID-19 unit. Unfortunately, the surge in patients followed her back to southwest Missouri where she has worked locally at Cox South and Cox Monett caring for COVID-19 patients.
“The chance to take the vaccine meant the world to me,” she said. “I want life to get back to normal and this was my chance to fight back at the virus that has taken so much from so many people. So many of my patients didn’t get a chance to fight back, so this is my chance to fight for them.”
Cox Monett received 100 doses of Moderna’s vaccine with more arriving next week. In total, five vaccine clinics will be held for employees over a two-week period.