uburban Community Hospital held its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the public who meet the 1A criteria on February 10th. Thus far the hospital has started the vaccination process for over 1,000 staff members and through the clinic 250 members of the community. The hospital is using the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines which require two doses (the second coming 21 to 28 days after the first depending on the vaccine).
Currently approved to be vaccinated is the Phase (1A) grouping, which includes those most at-risk of illness, such as health care workers and Pennsylvanians living in long-term care facilities, persons age 65 and older, and those age 16-64 with high-risk conditions.
David Schmidt, chief nursing officer of Suburban Community Hospital“We are pleased to be able to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to our local community and staff,” said David Schmidt, chief nursing officer of Suburban Community Hospital. “Our patients who meet the 1A criteria have a much higher risk for getting sick, being hospitalized, or dying from
COVID-19. They live in the community where the virus continues to spread, and yet despite the circumstances, they continue to risk their lives caring for our most vulnerable. This vaccine has been shown to provide a great deal of protection against the virus and will save many lives.”
Suburban Community Hospital will continue to follow all necessary precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment and conducting regular testing, to ensure the utmost safety.
“We are grateful that federal and state officials designated the 1A category for this critical population. We remind our community to remain calm and patient as we continue to rollout our vaccine distribution,” Schmidt added.
Donna Lorenz, director of Quality/Risk Management/Patient Safety said, “This has been a very challenging year for our staff, our community and their loved ones. With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise within our community, we know there is still a long road ahead. However, we
are encouraged that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found the vaccine to be safe and effective. We are hopeful that we can begin to put this pandemic behind us and look ahead to brighter days.”
Suburban Community Hospital will continue the vaccine administration roll out over a monthly series throughout the year, as vaccines become more widely available. There are no out-of-pocket costs to individuals for the vaccine, however, healthcare providers may bill insurance for administrative costs.
You can learn more about the hospital’s COVID-19 response and vaccination program here.