NEW YORK, N.Y. — Monday morning, an ICU nurse became the first person in New York state to receive the first dose of Pfizer's two-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
The nurse, who works at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, received the vaccine during a live stream with Governor Andrew Cuomo. Following the administration of the shot, those in attendance applauded.
The registered nurse has been identified as Sandra Lindsay. She volunteered to be the first New Yorker to take the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Northwell Health. She has worked on the front lines of the pandemic, caring for COVID-19 patients, since March.
The Pfizer's vaccine is administered in two doses. The second dose must be given 28 days after the first dose. It received FDA Emergency Use Authorization on Friday.
The Pfizer vaccine is being delivered to health care workers across the country on Monday, with states set to start vaccinations at different times.
Army Gen. Gustava Perna said Saturday that UPS and FedEx are expected to deliver the vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the country Monday, while an additional 425 sites will get shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday.
Initially, about 3 million doses are expected to be shipped nationwide.
New York state is expected to receive 170,000 doses of the vaccine by Tuesday. It also expects to receive more than 340,000 doses of Moderna's version of the vaccine by December 21.
The first vaccinations in New York come as the nation nears another grim milestone in the coronavirus pandemic: the loss of 300,000 lives. As of Monday morning, Johns Hopkins University reported a death toll of more than 299,190.
This story was originally published by Megan Erbacher at WKBW and Rebecca Solomon at WPIX.
