By Jean Clavette Graves
BJACH Public Affairs Officer
FORT POLK, La. — Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital received the first shipment of the COVID-19 Vaccine and began vaccinating medical health professionals and first responders Dec. 22.
The COVID-19 vaccine, authorized for emergency use, is offered on a voluntary basis to hospital staff members and installation first responders. This marks the first phase of the Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccine distribution and the standardized and coordinated strategy for prioritizing, distributing and administering vaccines to protect our people, maintain readiness and support the national COVID-19 response.
Col. Jodi Dugai, hospital commander, marveled at the speed in which the vaccine was developed and made available since the Army’s COVID-19 protective posture took effect in March 2019.
She said she was proud of the BJACH staff for volunteering wholeheartedly to take the vaccine. She noted the safety of their families and the community were the motivating factors for her team.
“We have to represent what we are telling people. As health care workers we must show our patients that we believe the science behind the vaccine,” Dugai explained. “It’s important to build confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines.”
“These volunteers are the tip of the spear to getting us where we need to be as a community and as a nation,” she said,
Cpt. Brandon Schornack was the first healthcare provider from BJACH to receive the vaccine.
Schornack, a pediatrician with the patient center medical home, said he volunteered to set a good example for his colleagues. He said he wanted to get vaccinated to protect himself, his family and his patients.
“The more people who are vaccinated the more protection it will have for the general population,” Schornack said. “I recommend everyone get the vaccine when it becomes available. It is a good thing to do for yourself, your family and your community.”
William Padden, an emergency medical technician, said he volunteered because not only is he a first responder he also has underlying health concerns.
“I’ve been willing to except the risks because I have a job to do,” he said. “Knowing that there is a vaccine available will alleviate the fear of COVID-19.”
Padden said, “I hope this is the beginning of the end and things will start getting back to normal.”
Willie Shelton, a physician assistant with the patient center medical home said he was surprised and pleased at how quickly Fort Polk received the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I volunteered to keep myself healthy and prevent passing the virus on to others,” he said. “Getting vaccinated is important because this virus has a high morbidity rate for our most at risk population. It’s our civic duty to protect everybody.”
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2020 12:22 |
| Story ID: | 385715 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 157 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Healthcare workers, first responders vaccinate against COVID-19 to better serve Fort Polk community, by Jean Graves, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
