As the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine begins across the United States, a Jamaican-American nurse was the first to get the shot in New York.
Sandra Lindsay, a nurse who works in critical care at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, got the shot this morning. Lindsay’s shot was livestreamed on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s website.
“I feel hopeful today. Relieved,” Lindsay said after getting the shot. “I feel like healing is coming. I hope this marks the end of a very painful time in our history.”
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first coronavirus vaccine last week. It was developed jointly by Pfizer and BioNTech and requires two doses several weeks apart.
New York is getting an initial shipment of 170,000 doses, with more to follow.
Hospital workers, like Lindsay, are among the first group of people to get the shots in the state. Nursing home residents and staff are also at the front of the line.
Sandra was born and raised in Jamaica. She immigrated to the United States in 1986 to further her education.
