TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas health care workers have begun receiving the first of the state’s coronavirus vaccines amid an ongoing fall surge in cases that has left hospitals stressed.
A spokeswoman says that five employees of the Via Christi Ascension health care system received shots Monday at its St. Francis hospital in Wichita, including a critical care nurse, a housekeeper for a COVID-19 unit and a respiratory therapist.
At 11:12 am local time, Kristen Garrett, RN, Critical Care Nurse, Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, received the COVID-19 vaccine, along with 4 of her colleagues. Thank you to all who made this possible and to caregivers everywhere for their selfless dedication to patient care. pic.twitter.com/iarpqYu4KL
— Ascension Via Christi (@ViaChristi) December 14, 2020
Doses of a vaccine made by Pfizer began arriving in Kansas after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized its emergency use Friday.
Kansas officials expect the state to receive the first of two doses for 23,750 people this week.
