‘Easy PC’: First St. Charles Bent caregivers receive COVID-19 vaccine

(Update: Vaccine recipient, adding comments from St. Charles officials)

“I feel like this is the first step in a long journey,” says the ER doctor

BEND, Ore (KTVZ) – Nine months after the outbreak, the first health care providers from St. Charles-Bend were vaccinated on Monday with Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

This means Dr. Frances McCabe started her work week a little differently.

Speaking to reporters, McCabe said it was awesome to get this part of the process.

He went to a conference room, signed his name, took his seat, and first prepared for a Central Oregon.

“Easy Peace,” said Dr. McCabe, who was vaccinated when at least 975 doses arrived in St. Charles last Thursday.

With Jonathan Coles, a certified nursing assistant, one of five St. Charles health workers as an emergency physician; DJ Pierce, Respiratory Therapist; Becky Lagos, environmental service caretaker; Kathy DeVille, a playbotomist in the emergency department; And nurse Julie Postrom, who is enrolled in the emergency department, will receive the first COVID-19 vaccine.

“We are very pleased to offer this vaccine to our leading care providers,” said Joe Sluca, President and CEO of St. Charles Health System. “Those people have made huge sums in this whole epidemic.”

The hospital will distribute the first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine by Wednesday, according to an interview with News Channel 21 by Dr Jeff Absalon, chief medical officer of St. Charles.

“Therefore, we are assured that there is a suitable vessel to vaccinate the appropriate caregivers for the initial vaccination, and the initial vaccination is approximately 21 days from now,” Dr. Afzalone said.

He said extra rubbish was found in the hospital at every litter, as other hospitals across the country had reported. That means they have 975 sizes more than they expected on the first ship.

But just because vaccines start doesn’t mean the infection is over.

McCabe said, “So it’s important for you to understand that just because you get the shot, does not mean you have to change any behavior.

She has a reason at home to keep it.

“I have a son who has a significant congenital heart defect,” McCabe said. “So we’re very careful at home.”

But she said taking precautions was not so difficult for her.

“Constant precautions can protect everyone, can’t they?” McCabe said. “You don’t want to do weird, unnecessary and stressful things, do you?”

Now she’s one step closer to not having to worry about it.

“Ready Central Oregon!” Dr. McCabe yelled as he let go of his hand before getting the vaccine.

St. Charles expects to send another vaccine on Thursday.

Press Release from St. Charles:

At 11 a.m. Monday, the first group of five St. Charles caregivers went to the conference area at Bent Hospital, which many call the region’s first shot of the Govt-19 vaccine.

“It’s not a small achievement to set up an accurate vaccination program so quickly. It was really a great team effort,” said Dr. Fran McCabe, an emergency room physician at St. Charles Bend, who was part of the first group to be vaccinated in central Oregon, the hospital said.

“I feel very grateful to have been included in the first group of hospital staff who received this vaccine,” McCabe said. “When it’s so exciting, I feel it’s the first step in a long journey. We all need to be vigilant.”

McCabe, a certified nursing assistant, is safe in the area at the same time as Jonathan Calls; DJ Pierce, Respiratory Therapist; Becky Lagos, environmental service caretaker; Kathy DeVille, a playbotomist in the emergency department; And nurse Julie Postrom, who was admitted to the emergency department, “proudly rolled up their sleeves and received the vaccine,” the hospital said.

All of these caregivers have been caring for COVID-19 patients for several months.

The clinic was the first of many on Monday. St. Charles plans to manage its first wave 975 levels today until Wednesday of this week. The health system expects to receive a second shipment of 975 doses later this week, which will be administered from Wednesday to Monday next week.

“As you can imagine, the logistics behind scheduling caregivers from different fields at different times ensures that we have a trained army of vaccines and are ready to dilute the pharmaceutical team size – while keeping everyone safe – which has been a big task over the last few weeks,” said St. Charles’ leadership. Physician Administrator Dr. Jeff Absalon said.

“We are very grateful to the hundreds of caregivers who have advanced to make this day possible,” he added. “We are pleased that many of our caregivers will soon receive the greatest protection from this terrible virus.”

St. Charles said he was working closely with the Oregon Health Authority and local public health departments on the next phase of the vaccination program for community health providers, EMS agencies and others at the forefront of this struggle.