North Valley Hospital receives COVID vaccine
North Valley Hospital Pharmacy Director Andrew Matulionis with the COVID-19 vaccine. (Photo courtesy North Valley Hospital)
North Valley Hospital Patient Screener Nurse Kathy Thomas was one of the first staff members at the hospital to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. (Photo courtesy North Valley Hospital)
North Valley Hospital received its first delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine late Tuesday afternoon with 400 doses prioritized for healthcare workers at the highest risk for exposure.
The hospital administered the first doses of the vaccine Tuesday to high-risk healthcare workers including those from the emergency department, medical and surgery department and patient screening. The first vaccine clinic was set to begin on Wednesday for high priority healthcare workers.
“Receiving the vaccine was the first time in the last few months that I have felt hope that we are making progress in this battle,” said Dr. Ashleigh Magill, who works in the hospital’s emergency department. “The ability to do even more to protect our families, our friends, our neighbors and our community, and especially our patient populations who are most at risk gives the feeling of a weight being lifted. The hope that in the coming months as the vaccine becomes more available, that the community will be able to return to a new version of normalcy as we continue to track this moving target gives us a renewed vigor for the ongoing journey.”
As a critical access hospital, North Valley was designated as a distribution site for the Moderna vaccine as part of “Phase 1A” in accordance with recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state of Montana’s distribution plan.
While vaccination is one step toward fighting this pandemic, the hospital encourages the community and visitors to continue their efforts to slow the spread of the virus by washing hands, wearing a face covering and practicing social distancing.
