By Karisa Lemoncelli, Box Butte General Hospital Promotions Specialist
On December 22nd, 2020 Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) received 600 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. As of today, all 600 doses have been administered to BBGH healthcare workers, first responders, healthcare workers outside of BBGH, and the 75+ years of age population that opted to receive it.
It has now been approved for BBGH to begin administering the vaccine to the 65+ years of age population.
While there are currently no vaccines available in the community, there is a waitlist that may be joined. Call the BBGH hotline voicemail, 308.761.3097 or visit pphd.org to join the vaccine waitlist.
What is important to know about the Moderna vaccine is that you may still get the COVID-19 virus for about two weeks after receiving the vaccination. It is vital to continue to practice social distancing, hand washing, and wearing a mask in public to continue to ensure the wellness of the community.
A second dose of the vaccine will need to be received 28 days after the first dose. Symptoms of COVID-19 may arise but will subside within 1-7 days.
The Moderna vaccine does not alter DNA or DNA of a cell, and it is a synthetic vaccine meaning it doesn’t give you the virus. There were no shortcuts taken in the development of this vaccine, it was developed using the RNA (ribonucleic acid- a molecule that carries messages from DNA to proteins) technology that has been used for the past 10 years.
As more vaccines become available to administer, those on the waitlist will be called. The timeline (which remains fluid) for the general population to receive the vaccine is between May and July of 2021.
Box Butte General Hospital is an equal opportunity provider and employer.