ST. LOUIS — More frontline workers at hospitals across the St. Louis area are receiving Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.
BJC HealthCare and SSM Health are both vaccinating priority staff on Thursday. The two hospital systems worked together to receive the doses earlier than expected, "a prime example of collaboration and team work among our local health care systems," SSM Health said.
HSHS St. Elizabeth's hospital in the Metro East also started administering vaccines Thursday. Seventeen employees received a vaccine, including doctors and nurses who work in the ICU and emergency department.
HSHS is not requiring that employees receive the vaccine, but it is recommended.
“This is an exciting step to be able to provide an additional level of protection for our colleagues who continue to provide exceptional and compassionate patient care in the midst of this pandemic,” St. Elizabeth’s President and Chief Executive Officer Patti Fischer said in a press release.
Shipments of the vaccine began arriving at area hospitals this week after it received FDA approval Friday. The vaccine is not yet available for the general public.
BJC HealthCare received 9,750 vaccines Tuesday and began vaccinating its first round of frontline, patient-facing employees Thursday morning at eight BJC locations. SSM Health will also be vaccinating its most at-risk employees and expects to receive more doses next week.
Dr. Aamina Akhtar, chief medical officer at Mercy Hospital South was the first person in the St. Louis area to receive the vaccine on Monday.
Pfizer's vaccine was the first to be granted emergency use authorization in the United States. An FDA panel is set to vote Thursday on whether to recommend the approval of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.
