Story by Pfc. Maxwell Bass
24th Theater Public Affairs Support Element
FORT BLISS, Texas — Medical personnel from the William Beaumont Army Medical Center offered COVID-19 vaccines to units deploying soon and Department of Defense cardholders or dependents, February 5, 2021 at Stayton Theater, Fort Bliss, Texas.
The vaccination site has been open for a total of four weeks, averaging around 600 people a day to receive the vaccination.
"This is important to receive the vaccine because it's going to protect you against the COVID-19 virus," said Capt. Shai Zilka, the officer in charge of the COVID-19 vaccination site at Stayton Theater, and a nurse with the 123rd Battalion Support Brigade, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division.
"Anything you can do to mitigate your risk from getting the virus, we should be doing."
Those who received the vaccine were instructed to wait 15 minutes before driving or participating in any vigorous physical activities. Patients must be observed immediately after receiving the shot to ensure they do not experience any adverse effects.
COVID-19 prevention regulations were followed in the theater by spacing patients six feet apart and enforcing face masks. Medical personnel also disinfected chairs in between each patient, changed gloves, and cleaned equipment.
"I think it's very important to be informed because there's a lot of people who are scared to get the vaccine," said Spc. Nathaniel Kessler, medic, 123rd BSB, "I feel like, without the proper research or just knowledge about it, it's going to scare people off."
According to the CDC, the COVID-19 is an mRNA vaccine that contains material from the virus that causes COVID-19. The vaccine gives our cells instructions for how to make a harmless protein that is unique to the virus. After our cells make copies of the protein, they destroy the genetic material from the vaccine. Therefore, our immune systems are more prepared to fight off the virus.
Date Taken: | 02.05.2021 |
Date Posted: | 03.11.2021 17:27 |
Story ID: | 391192 |
Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
Web Views: | 74 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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