Photo By Lance Cpl. Zachary Larsen | U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr Mark Cook, the Command Chaplain with Naval Hospital Okinawa, gives...... read more read more
Subscribe
Due to MARADMIN 754/20, the vaccine was prioritized for first responders and medical personnel on military bases. However, on Jan. 11, the order permitted active duty service members to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
“After we had provided the vaccine to medical personnel and first responders, we were able to start providing it to the service members,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jenny L. Smith, head of the vaccination team with Naval Hospital Okinawa and native of York, Pennsylvania. “This vaccine is another layer of defense in this pandemic to protect themselves and the community they interact with daily.”
The vaccine is crucial in the fight against COVID-19 and is essential in mitigating further spread of the ongoing virus. The vaccine is optional for service members, but is highly encouraged.
“A lot of travel comes from service members,” said Seaman Apprentice Samantha IglesiasMartinez, a hospital corpsman with Naval Hospital Okinawa and native of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. “This isn’t our original home, and we need to be healthy so we don’t spread this virus to our hosts that let us stay here.”
When service members arrive at the naval hospital, they must first go through the intake process before receiving the vaccine. After receiving the vaccination, service members are handed a COVID-19 vaccination record card to remind them of their next vaccine shot.
Once they have the card, service members are required to stay an extra 15 minutes in case of any adverse reactions to the vaccine. So far, the Naval Hospital Okinawa has vaccinated 3,740 personnel.
“The vaccine came in at a limited dose,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Esther Oh, a hospital corpsman with Naval Hospital Okinawa and native of New York, New York. “This was something that could not be available all at once. There are only four sailors administering shots for the last three weeks, and 3,740 people are a lot.”
While the vaccine is still not required, the Marine Corps Installations Pacific command group have received the vaccine, Jan. 12, 2021. U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William J. Bowers, MCIPAC commanding general and Sgt. Maj. Joy M. Kitashima, MCIPAC sergeant major, both received the vaccine to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
“It is important to lead from the front,” said Smith. “Some service members are scared or skeptical of the vaccine, and it helps when the command comes and reassures them that it’s safe by taking it themselves.”
The COVID-19 vaccine is a two dose vaccination with the second dosage 28 days after the original vaccine. The vaccine is also in high demand so dress for the weather and be prepared to wait.
“Everyone working the vaccination team was pulled from various sections,” said Oh. “Certain people have different specializations and everyone is from different clinics. We even had Marine volunteers to help with crowd direction. We all came together for the betterment of the island.”
| Date Taken: | 01.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 01.17.2021 17:59 |
| Story ID: | 387014 |
| Location: | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 343 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Service members across Okinawa receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, by LCpl Zachary Larsen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
