By Scottsdale Pinetop
These past nine months have been long and hard for everyone across the nation. For the numerous front-line works battling new cases every day to challenging work-home dynamics to small business owners struggling to make it to the new year.
But today, many woke up to more than just optimism. It’s the first punch back against COVID-19.
Earlier this morning, the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine was administered to an ICU nurse in New York. In Arizona, the first shipment of the coronavirus vaccine arrived earlier this morning at a Maricopa County health facility.
For many, this vaccine cannot come soon enough. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services report this morning, there have been 11,795 new confirmed cases which brings the total number of cases in Arizona to over 420,000.
Last week, Governor Ducey stated that Arizona is expected to receive approximately 383,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of December.
Health care providers and residents at long-term care facilities will be the first patients to receive the vaccine. As these medical workers across the state are getting their first doses of the vaccine and preparing themselves against what is expected to be a daunting and exhausting winter, they are also sending a message that this vaccine is safe and will save lives.
“This is what our nation does best. We solve problems and get things done. In Arizona, our plan is to get the vaccine to every corner of our state without delay; beginning with health care works and vulnerable populations,” said Governor Ducey in a tweet earlier today.
But there is still much work to be done. The task of producing and distributing the Pfizer vaccine will be the largest nation-wide mobilization endeavor since World War II. It will be difficult. There will be setbacks. And unfortunately, more people will still get sick as the virus continues to spread.
However, this should not diminish the accomplishment of the vaccine and what that means for a step forward. Victory is in sight.