The first two recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine in this province rolled up their sleeves for all to see yesterday.

Ellen Foley-Vick, a registered nurse with public health, and Dr. Jatin Morkar, clinical chief with Memorial University’s medicine program, got their needles from—appropriately enough—Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province’s chief medical officer of health.

Foley-Vick says she was relieved for herself and others to come. She says she’s grateful to receive the vaccine but also knowing she’s a part of making everyday life safer for patients and their families.

Dr. Morkar says he hopes the vaccine will ensure this is the beginning of the end for the pandemic. He says witnessing the grief of families is something neither he nor his staff will ever forget, adding hopefully they won’t have to experience that again.

Vaccinations will continue for health-care workers and those in the highest risk categories such as the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

It’s estimated the earliest that members of the general public would receive the vaccine will be June.

Read the article on VOCM here: