The first staff members at Boston-based Fenway Health, one of the country’s leading care and research centers for LGBTQIA+ people, received their initial doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine last week.
Reports Fenway:
Under the guidance of Dr. Ami Multani, Physician and Medical Director of Infectious Disease, four staff members from across Fenway Health volunteered to be the initial staff to be vaccinated.
Janet Dargon, Fenway Institute Clinical Trials Support Coordinator, was the first to receive the shot, which was administered by Kimella Dixon, Nurse Manager.
“I’m super excited to able to do this,” Dargon said. “I’m happy to do my part by being the first [at Fenway].”
John Hortareas, Medical Assistant at Fenway: South End, received his shot next.
“I chose to get one of the first vaccinations to be part of the solution,” Hortareas said. “All of us are in this together, and it will only work if we’re all willing to take this next step together.”
Angel Fuentes, Public Health Bilingual Health Navigator, was next to get vaccinated.
“I’m here today for my community,” Fuentes said.
Lauren Wasley, COVID Testing Tent Lead and Medical Nurse Practitioner, rounded out the first four.
“It’s a really exciting and historic day,” Wasley said. “When I think back to where we were nine months ago, I’m so grateful to the scientists who have made this a reality. I believe in the safety of this vaccine, and it makes me so hopeful for the future.”
A huge thank you goes out to these volunteers and all the medical staff who coordinated this amazing moment for Fenway and our whole community.
We’d also like to give a special thanks to our COVID Clinical Leadership Team: Dr. Multani; Janet Mulligan, Executive Director of Nursing; Dr. Alex Gonzalez, Medical Director; Dr. Ethan Brackett, Fenway: South End Medical Director; and Rachel Sharkey, Staff Development/Education Coordinator.
While Fenway does not yet have vaccine to distribute to patients, they’ll “post information about vaccinations for patients as soon as that is available.” For more, check out Fenway’s COVID Vaccine information page.
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