Dubois County Doctor Says COVID-19 Vaccine is Safe Moments After She Received It

BY: DAVID SHEPHERD, NEWS DIRECTOR

JASPER -- Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center received COVID-19 vaccines last week and began vaccinating frontline healthcare workers on Friday. 

Doctor Mary Burgeson, a family practice physician in Huntingburg, was one of the first in Dubois County to receive the new COVID-19 vaccine late last week. She spoke to WITZ News Director David Shepherd moments after receiving the first dose.

"I'm amazed.  We've been waiting so long for this vaccine and I am so happy to be part of the first wave.  This is great."

Shepherd asked Dr. Burgeson if the vaccine was safe and what she would tell those who are still worried about getting vaccinated (once the general public can get the shot.  This is still months away).

"I understand peoples' fear of a new medication that's going to be injected into your body.  I understand the fear.  But, there's already probably been a quarter of a million doses given between the United States, Canada, the U.K., Germany, and some other European countries.  This vaccine has been tested.  We started with clinical trials back in June.  None of those people have grown an extra horn or dropped off fingers.  There's really been no long-term consequences since the clinical trials started."

Memorial Hospital received around 1,000 doses of the new vaccine last week.  Those are going to frontline workers.

The Jasper hospital vaccinated around 350 employees on the first day.

Another shipment is expected this week.

Phase 1A is in progress now.  It includes health care workers and residents of Long Term Care Facilities.

High risk patients will get the vaccine in Phase 1B.  The state has not yet defined who will be considered high risk.  There is also no timeline as to when Phase 1B will begin.

In Phase 2, the vaccine will be administered to those who live and work in high risk conditions.  Those include jails, the homeless, and critical infrastructure workers. 

The general public will be able to get the vaccine in Phase 3 but, again, the state cannot say when that may be, but, it’s expected to be months before we move into that final phase.