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By MALLORIE McILWAIN
mmcilwain@sungazette.com
DANVILLE -- Geisinger has officially vaccinated over 10,000 employees, averaging 1,000 per day, after starting with its first allocation on Dec. 16 according to Allison Hess, vice president of health services.
A majority of the 10,000 were Geisinger employees but the healthcare system has also been providing vaccinations to Tier 1A health care workers -- which are described as "paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials" according to the state Department of Health.
This includes: emergency medical service personnel, nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, students and trainees, direct support professionals, clinical persons in school settings or correctional facilities as well as health care facility persons in administration, maintenance, volunteer and engineering.
40 percent of the 24,000 Geisinger employees have received the first dose in the two shot regimen for either Pfizer or Moderna, according to Hess.
After receiving the first shot, patients are scheduled for the second, which happens after 21 days for Pfizer and after 28 days for Moderna.
"As Geisinger receives the vaccine doses, whether Pfizer or Moderna, we work to distribute them as quickly as we can, but which vaccine we use is ultimately determined by what the Department of Health sends us," Hess said. "To date, we have had no issues with receiving the vaccine from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. As a large healthcare system, we are well positioned to utilize resources and employees to provide vaccines as quickly as supplies and staffing allow."
"While we are not requiring employees to receive the vaccine, seeing thousands of employees who have voluntarily stepped up to be vaccinated and help in this fight against COVID-19 is empowering and encouraging," she continued.
Stephanie Suzadail, Geisinger Life Flight registered nurse, got the first shot of the Pfizer vaccination and plans to get the second shot on Saturday at the Jersey Shore location.
"I was notably nervous because of the MRNA technology," she said. "I did a lot of research and it went very well. I didn't feel anything at all which was different from other vaccinations I had prior (flu and gardasil)."
She said that the only side effect she experienced was soreness at the site of vaccination for only 18 hours after the shot was given.
"It was a pleasant experience," she said.
She had even had COVID back in March and was adamant that she and others get the vaccination.
"The virus itself causes lasting damage…no matter your background, your age, it is unpredictable," she said. "We need to trust science. It is guiding us. The vaccine is not going to give you COVID it is not going to microchip you, that is not factual. You don't want to be the reason someone gets sick and can't see their family."
"From what my eyes have seen and what I lived through, when you fly like we do (as flight nurses) we are seeing all of the communities being affected," she continued. "These people you see in your community…I live local and work local and to see them scared and panicking, you vaccinate because of that."
Many other Geisinger employees were passionate about receiving the vacine including Muhammad Sabih Saleem, M.D. and resident physician who stated "It's up to us to take this first step forward so that everyone else will join us when the vaccine becomes available to them. I feel relieved after getting the vaccine."