Jupiter Medical Center Begins Covid-19 Vaccinations for Healthcare Workers
December, 23, 2020
The first shipment of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines was delivered to
Jupiter Medical Center. The hospital will begin long-awaited vaccinations today.
JUPITER, Fla. (December 23, 2020) – Covid-19 vaccines became a reality today
as Jupiter Medical Center accepted its first shipment of the life-saving
vaccinations from the state this morning. The hospital has initiated administration
of the Moderna Covid-19 which will initially be given to healthcare workers
who remain on the frontlines of the pandemic. An FDA advisory panel recommended
on Thursday, December 17th that the Moderna vaccine receive an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA),
which was issued this past Friday.
“Receiving the vaccines is a crucial advance in our battle against
the pandemic,” stated Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM, CEO of Jupiter Medical
Center. “Our frontline physicians, nurses and staff have been working
tirelessly to care for Covid-19 patients and as a result have the highest
exposure to this virus. Vaccinations will provide them with the protection
they need to continue their critical work.”
Jupiter Medical Center’s initial vaccination plan focuses on healthcare
workers. Based on CDC guidelines, the hospital’s leadership team
in collaboration with medical staff leadership has developed a plan for
vaccinating JMC team members and medical staff, prioritizing vaccinations
for those who face high risk exposures or high frequency of events. Those
who are slated to receive vaccinations include individuals working in
the COVID Unit, the Emergency Department, and the Intensive Care Unit.
Consistent with the ACIP guidelines, the hospital has prioritized individuals
providing direct patient care and those individuals who handle infectious
material. The vaccinations require two doses, four weeks apart.
“In line with national models, we anticipate that it will take several
weeks to provide the initial dose of the vaccine to our team members and
medical staff. We will be working with state authorities to coordinate
Jupiter Medical Center’s participation in the vaccination of our
community members, which we anticipate will begin in the spring based
on CDC projections. This plan continues to evolve and the timeframe depends
on our allocation of vaccine, when they are received, as well as evolving
CDC and ACIP recommendations,” says Dr. Rastogi.
Jupiter Medical Center remains committed to being a leader in the fight
against the pandemic and coordinating with state and local authorities
to rapidly vaccinate team members, providers, and members of the South
Florida community. Jupiter Medical Center has set up an informational
page on the hospital’s website. Updates on the vaccine distribution
will be posted every Tuesday and Friday and as they become available via
the following link:
https://www.jupitermed.com/covid19-vaccine/.
“The arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine certainly brings much needed
hope that we will all soon be on the path to “normalcy’ in
our lives for which we have been yearning,” says Dr. Rastogi.
The Moderna Vaccine
The Moderna vaccine is based on a messenger RNA platform. The messenger
RNA enters the cell and encodes the spike protein of the virus, which
in turn causes the body to develop antibodies against this antigen. The
vaccine demonstrated 94.1% efficacy in preventing COVID infection in a
Phase III trial which included 30,000 participants. Vaccination requires
2 doses, 4 weeks apart. Additionally, there were no severe cases of COVID
disease in the few patients who did contract COVID illness after vaccination.
The side effect profile is excellent. There were no patients who had an
anaphylactic or severe hypersensitivity reaction. The most common adverse
reaction was injection site pain (90%). A flu-like syndrome with: fatigue
(60%), muscle pain (60%), joint pain (40%), and chills (40%) which lasted
for 1 to 2 days was also fairly common. This syndrome was more frequently
seen after the 2nd dose and in younger patients (<55 years old). Serious adverse events
occurred in less than 1% of patients in the vaccine group and in the control
group, with no evidence that these were related to the vaccine.
Jupiter Medical Center
Rated No. 1 for safety, quality and patient satisfaction, Jupiter Medical
Center is the leading destination for world-class health care in Palm
Beach County and across the Treasure Coast. The award-winning hospital
is iconic throughout the state because of its outstanding team of physicians,
state-of-the-art facilities, innovative techniques and technologies and
commitment to compassionate care. Jupiter Medical Center is recognized
as the region’s only independent, not-for-profit hospital providing
an array of inpatient and outpatient services, including Heart and Vascular
Healthcare, Oncology, Orthopedics and Women & Children’s Healthcare Services.
For more information about Jupiter Medical Center, please call (561) 263-2234 or visit
www.jupitermed.com.