Health officials administered the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine recently approved by U.S. regulators to critical care nurse Sandra Lindsey in New York during a press conference hosted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).
Lindsey from NY’s Port Washington works at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens and reportedly became the first person in the U.S. to receive the Pfizer vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Friday night.
“I feel like healing is coming,” Lindsey said, echoing Cuomo and other U.S. officials. “I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history.”
Until the Pfizer vaccine, there were no inoculations for coronaviruses in humans. Many in the mainstream media cast doubt the Trump administration would be able to deliver a vaccine.
“I believe this is the weapon that will end the war. This is the beginning of the last chapter of the book,” Cuomo declared right before the public inoculation in New York City, the epicenter of the virus at the beginning of the pandemic early this year.
“Today is a day for hope,” the governor added via Twitter, adding, “New York State is grateful to all the scientists & workers who helped achieved this feat.”
During an interview on Fox News on Monday, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams celebrated the Pfizer vaccine’s historic rollout as the first doses were shipped Sunday.
“It’s a great day; it’s a historic day,” Adams proclaimed. “This is the beginning of the end, but we have still got a few miles left to run in this race.”
The surgeon general has vowed to take the vaccine himself, along with other U.S. health officials. States and territories determine the location and quantity needed, according to the Pentagon.
“There were no cutting of scientific corners,” Adams advised. “It was the cutting of administrative red tape. It was massive funding, which allowed us to scale up production even as the vaccine was being produced.”
President Trump, who blasted FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn for taking too long to approve the vaccine, particularly after the United Kingdom became the first country to authorize the Pfizer inoculation, welcomed the first shot via Twitter.
On Monday, however, Trump wrote, “First Vaccine Administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD!
Trump’s multi-billion Operation Warp Speed made the development and distribution of the highly-anticipating vaccine to combat the pandemic, working with private pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and its German arm, BioNTEch. The operation is also working on developing therapeutics.
Although Pfizer was the first candidate to receive approval for its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) request from the FDA, American biotechnology company Moderna also asked the U.S. regulators for UAE approval on November 30.
The FDA has set aside December 17 to consider Moderna’s application. The Pentagon expects the Moderna vaccine to be made available for distribution sometime this week.
Surgeon General Adams warned on Fox News:
I want people to know this is the most difficult vaccine rollout in history. There will be hiccups, undoubtedly, but we have done everything from a federal level and working with partners to make it go as smoothly as possible. Please be patient with us, and please understand we are going to start by vaccinating the vulnerable: people in nursing homes and long term care facilities and healthcare workers.
The Trump administration believes the vaccine will be widely available by June 2021, adding that there could be enough doses to inoculate 20 million by the end of the year of this year alone.
On Sunday, workers at Pfizer’s Michigan headquarters erupted into a round of applause early in the morning as the first batch of an estimated three million vaccines was shipped out to UPS and FedEx hubs across the country and delivered to 636 predetermined locations in all 50 states.
New York was expected to receive the first shipment of Pfizer’s vaccine on Monday, and health care workers were to get their shots within hours of the arrival.
Experts have reportedly said about 75 percent of U.S. residents need to get the vaccine for widespread immunity. The Pfizer inoculation requires two doses.
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