The largest medical initiative in the history of the world — distributing the COVID-19 vaccine — has begun in the U.S. A New York ICU nurse was the first to receive the shot Monday morning.
Healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic in the U.S. have been battling the virus in the nation's hospitals for nine months, but now there is an end in sight — though it may be several more months down the road.
The number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. was nearly 300,000 as nurse Sandra Lindsay received the Pfizer shot at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, at about 9:30 a.m. Monday during a video call with Governor Andrew Cuomo.
"it didn't feel any different from taking any other vaccine," Lindsay said. "I feel hopeful today, relieve. I feel like healing is coming. I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history. I want to instill public confidence that the vaccine is safe."
New York State was home to one of the first COVID epicenters in the U.S. as the virus swept through the congested urban and suburban communities around New York City.
The vaccine's approval comes just as positive COVID cases and COVID-related hospitalizations in the U.S. have surged to their highest point since last spring.
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