New York nurse becomes first American to get COVID-19 vaccine shot, says 'I trust science'

A critical care nurse, Sandra Lindsay, was the first person in New York and among the first people in the United States to get a shot of coronavirus vaccine on December 14. As the deadly virus has been killing people of colour at disproportionate rates, Lindsay, being a black woman, was eager to prove the shot’s safety to those still hesitant about being vaccinated. While speaking to the Washington Post, her brother, Garfield Lindsay, revealed that his sister is passionate about people’s health and for her to be an example for getting the vaccine, is “meaningful” to her. 

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In an interview after the vaccination, Sandra said that she knew when she woke up Monday morning she would be getting the shot but had no idea she would be the first person in America to do so. She revealed that the vaccine kit to administer the shot “worked perfectly”. She said that she trusts science, but what she doesn’t trust is getting coronavirus because she doesn’t know how it will affect her and the people around her that she could potentially transfer the virus to. 

She said that it was important for her as a Black woman to take the vaccine as a message to those who distrust the medical system because of historical malfeasance or because they have suffered medical racism. Sandra said that she wants to send the message that science can be trusted and the vaccination won’t work if only some people take the shot. Further, she hopes that the jab to her upper left arm will also be an inspiration to the other nurses she works with. 

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Pentagon chief receives COVID vaccine

Meanwhile, following the vaccine roll-out, the US acting defence secretary and Pentagon chief Christopher Miller on December 14 were administered a shot of the newly authorized Pfizer and BioNtech vaccine live on camera. The jab was given at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., according to a video shared by the Department of Defense. Miller can be seen encouraging the Americans to take the vaccine as he jokes, "That's all?! Oh come on! That did not hurt at all!”. The Pentagon, meanwhile, informed in a press release that it planned to inoculate the military’s top commanders live to encourage service members to get vaccinated.

Earlier as New York registered more than 35,000 cases, the director of critical care nursing at Long Island Jewish Medical Center was administered the vaccine shot at 9:20 a.m. during a news conference with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. The recipient nurse encouraged and paid tribute to the essential workers and medics as the US hit the grim milestone of 300,000 deaths. Meanwhile, the US Health and Human Services announced in a statement that the Trump administration doubled the order of the total vaccine shots it initially committed to purchasing from the pharmaceutical company Moderna Inc. in an order worth $1.65 billion to fight the pandemic. 

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