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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Department of Health announced that the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered to frontline health care workers in Indiana after the state’s first allotment of vaccine arrived Monday morning.
The first doses were administered to a physician, nurse, respiratory therapist, pharmacist, patient care tech and environmental services tech at Parkview Health in Fort Wayne shortly after noon, the department said.
Parkview and Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville both received initial doses of vaccine Monday morning. The two are among the five pilot hospitals slated to receive vaccine first. Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, IU Methodist in Indianapolis and Community Hospital in Munster are expected to get shipments in the next few days.
“The arrival of vaccine is an incredible milestone in our efforts to end this pandemic,” Gov. Eric J. Holcomb said in a written statement. “The combination of a vaccine and simple mitigation measures like wearing a mask and keeping your distance will get us through to the other side.”
More than 20,000 Indiana health care workers statewide have already registered to get their first dose.
More than 50 Indiana hospitals and clinics are expected to receive a total of 55,575 doses of vaccine by the end of the week, and additional shipments are expected weekly. The vaccine requires two doses administered a minimum of 21 to 28 days apart.
The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 300,000 Monday, rivaling the population of St. Louis or Pittsburgh.
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