HonorHealth begins vaccinating first responders, healthcare workers

HonorHealth rolls out COVID-19 vaccine in the Valley

HonorHealth started to roll out the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine to first responders and health care workers on Thursday.

PHOENIX - HonorHealth has become one of the first healthcare providers to vaccinate its workers against the coronavirus.

It began early in the morning and hundreds of our frontline workers, including healthcare workers and first responders -- and they're some of the very first people in the state to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

HonorHealth officials say the vaccines are very sensitive, so the doses need to be stored at an ultra-low temperature, and then thawed out in a refrigerator once the vaccine will be administered within six hours.

Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers

HonorHealth and other hospitals have set up COVID-19 vaccination pods throughout the Valley, where they can vaccinate several people at one time.

To get the vaccine, you'll need to sign up in advance with the county, then show up at one of the pod locations. Once you get in line in your car, they'll confirm your identity and your registration. A team of healthcare workers will administer the shot while you're sitting in the driver's seat of your vehicle. Then you're instructed to wait for 15 minutes so the staffers can monitor you for any kind of side effects.

"I'm feeling good.. feel fine.. no pain at all with the injection and no side effects.. feeling good," said a man who received the injection.

MAP: Arizona Coronavirus cases by zip code

Everyone who gets a vaccine at one of these events will have to return in a few weeks to get the second dose.

Health officials expect that the vaccine will be available to the general population starting in Spring 2021.

Online: https://www.honorhealth.com/coronavirus-covid-19

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In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Monitor your health daily

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