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CAMC begins COVID-19 vaccine distribution to frontline workers

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine were given to 50 frontline healthcare workers at one of the state’s largest healthcare systems Tuesday, as vaccine distribution continues across the state in hospitals.

The administered workers at Charleston Area Medical Center’s Memorial Hospital (CAMC)  included Kelly Harrison, a nurse manager.

“It was exciting and I was a little anxious,” she said. “But it feels great knowing that we have a possible solution and light at the end of the tunnel.”

Dr. Fred Kerns, an Infectious Disease Specialist and Epidemiologist at CAMC since 1982, also got the vaccine and said he does see an ending to the pandemic, but there is still a fight ahead.

“It’s a great start,” he said. “Hopefully, it will start a process that over the next two to six months, takes away a lot of issues that we have had to deal with.”

Kerns said as of Tuesday, the hospital in Kanawha County had around 100 COVID-19 patients. The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reported 774 hospitalizations due to the virus in Tuesday’s report, another pandemic high.

He said there is pressure on hospital systems across the state to deal with the number of people sick and the large number of staff that is either sick or quarantined due to contact tracing. Kerns said having the vaccine in-house is a boost to health and morale.

“They’ll have more confidence that they won’t get sick, miss work, spread it,” Kerns said of hospital workers receiving the vaccine.

“They’ll have more confidence working around people. They feel like they are contributing to ending the problem.”

Adam Crawford, an Emergency Medicine Physician at CAMC was the first of the hospital system’s 8,000 employees to have it shot into his left arm. He told MetroNews it’s certainly contributing to ending the problem but the work against the virus continues.

“I think we can’t forget social distancing and masking. I think those things are going to remain important for a long time to come. I think this is a big step in the right direction, but it’s a step and not the end game,” Crawford said.

Dr. Kishore Challa with Thomas Health System in Charleston was the first West Virginian to receive the vaccine on Monday. He appeared on Tuesday’s MetroNews ‘Talkline’ and echoed Crawford on this being a step in the right direction.

“Noting is more important than the masks, hand sanitization, social distancing, and not crowding. At least until herd immunity comes into place,” he said.

According to Dale Witte with CAMC, 50 more hospital workers will receive the vaccine on Wednesday. He also added that more than 900 doses of the vaccine will arrive at CAMC next week. Those vaccinated on Tuesday have a plan in place to receive the second shot in the coming weeks.

Kerns said it’s hopeful for the public to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in the spring and said many factors makes him recommend it to everyone when available.

“Obesity, smoking, more factors that make you not do well with the virus,” he said. “Let alone all of us have family, let alone all of us want to do something to end this pandemic. There is not much reason to not get it.”

As of Tuesday, there are over 21,000 active cases of COVID-19 in the Mountain State. Harrison said she contracted the virus in previous months but still chose to have the vaccine administered. She said others should do the same.

“I feel like it’s very important to continue to either increase my antibodies or prolong those and hope that I can keep someone safe including my family,” Harrison said.





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