MEMPHIS, Tennessee — As area hospitals near critically serious capacity levels with COVID-19 surging, more of those increasingly strained frontline workers are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Friday, St. Francis Healthcare became the latest hospital system to administer vaccine doses - and they came at critical time as doctors and nurses try to stabilize the situation and protect themselves and their families from infection.
"My overwhelming feeling is a feeling of relief at this point," St. Francis Dr. LaTonya Washington said.
"It's huge. It's huge," St. Francis Respiratory Therapist Amanda Nelson added.
The vaccination moment held emotional weight for St. Francis' COVID-19 treatment team. They've spent months repeating a similar scene: in full protective gear, drenched in sweat, and fighting tears when a critical COVID-19 patient doesn't survive.
"You just have to hold each other up and let them know that you worked as hard as you could, you gave everything to that patient, and you have to know in your heart that you did," Nelson said.
Frontline medical workers in the St. Francis Healthcare system said the COVID-19 vaccine is a critical shot in the arm, protecting those who protect patient lives.
"A lot of people want to think that it's their Mamaw or Popaw," Nelson said. "No these are 30, 40-year-olds who are so sick and fighting so hard to live."
Now that Mid-South frontline medical workers are vaccinated, Dr. Washington said it'll be up to the public to follow suit when the vaccines are expected to be widely available in the spring.
"Rest assured if we are doing fine, than that should be reassurance for you guys to get the vaccine as well," Dr. Washington said.
