LAS VEGAS (AP) - A hospital in Las Vegas has announced that more than half of its staff, about 2,000 employees, received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
University Medical Center in Las Vegas started vaccinations Dec. 14, once the first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived, officials said. Second doses of the vaccine are scheduled to be administered on Jan. 4.
“UMC has provided COVID-19 vaccinations to a significant portion of our workforce, promoting the safest possible clinical environment for our team members and patients,” CEO Mason Van Houweling said in a statement on Tuesday. The facility employs about 4,000 people across its hospital campus and clinic locations.
Officials say the first shipment of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine is scheduled to arrive soon.
Health officials are expecting tier one vaccinations to be completed before 2021, including front-line health care workers with the highest risk of exposure.
Nevada officials on Wednesday reported 2,988 new cases of COVID-19 and 36 deaths. As of Wednesday, the total number of cases reported in the state since the start of the pandemic was 209,962. There have been 2,871 deaths in Nevada from COVID-19.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
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