An historic day for Galesburg Cottage Hospital and Cottage Clinics’ employees. It was the first day of vaccinations for the recently approved coronavirus vaccine amongst staff members and the setting could not have been more fitting. Vaccinations were administered to employees in a building that was formerly known as the Cottage School of Nursing. Even more fitting, one of the first to be vaccinated was a long-time bedside nurse in her 42nd year at Cottage. Laura Rushing says she came in on her day off because getting the vaccine was a top priority and her duty.
The former nurse’s home at Galesburg Cottage Hospital became a fitting and historic setting for the first round of COVID 19 vaccinations at the hospital since the Pfizer coronavirus vaccination received emergency authorization on Friday.
The vaccine was delivered by Knox County Public Health Officials accompanied by a Knox County sheriff’s department escort to Galesburg from Peoria early Wednesday afternoon.
Upon arriving at Cottage, the transportation team handed over the vials of vaccine to Natalee Blackford, Cottage Pharmacy Director, who then began reconstituting the vaccine in the very room where the vaccine was delivered. Melissa Henson, the Infection Control Nurse, then systematically inoculated the socially distanced staff members.
More than 150 staff members from throughout the hospital didn’t hesitate to volunteer to be the first to receive the vaccination. Among those today was Laura Rushing, a longtime registered nurse serving in her 42nd year at Cottage.
“I feel very strongly about the coronavirus vaccine. I feel it is my civic duty as a nurse who cares for patients to be vaccinated and I fear for my husband’s health since he is considered high risk as a diabetic.”
The vaccination effort for staff members will continue the rest of this week.
***Report Courtesy of Galesburg Cottage Hospital***
