The first doses of the Pfizer COVID vaccine were administered at Kosciusko Community Hospital Friday morning.
The first to receive the shot was ER Physician Dennis Mansfield, who has worked in the medical field for 30 years. The shot was administered by Aryn Bowser, RN.
When asked about being the first person in Kosciusko County to receive the vaccine, Mansfield said he wasn’t anticipating on being the first person. “It’s something that’s necessary. We need to do it as a society. It’s patriotic, it’s the only way we’re gonna get back to normal and get rid of (masks). There’s no end in sight otherwise.”
Speaking on his experience working with COVID patients, he says people are a lot sicker than the normal ebb-n-flow. With the amount of PPE that they have to put on, he says that also slows down the process with appointments.
Mansfield says COVID is not something to mess around with. “We had about 130 influenza deaths in Indiana last year. We’re almost at 7,000 deaths from the coronavirus. This is not the flu. A toothpick and a spear both have a sharp end, I’d much rather get poked by the toothpick. People need to take precautions, particularly the elderly and those at high risk.”
Mansfield, like others who receive the Pfizer vaccine today, will get their next dose in about three weeks. Overall, KCH received 975 doses of the vaccine.
