First COVID-19 Vaccination at UHH

[Dodgeville] A shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Dodgeville on Wednesday, Dec. 23 late in the day. A plan to set up a vaccination clinic for healthcare providers at Upland Hills Health had been in the making for weeks. The clinic was set up and ready by 7 am Christmas Eve day.

Mike Peterson, Pharmacy Director at Upland Hills Health who has been monitoring the distribution process closely was glad to see 200 doses arrive. He was hoping they would arrive in time to hold a vaccination clinic on Wednesday.

“We receive little notice,” Peterson said. “I expect to be notified when a shipment is about 15 minutes away. We’ve been planning for this and will be ready to on a moment’s notice.”

Dr. Sarah Fox, Family Medicine Physician and Vice President of Primary Care at Upland Hills Health was the first to receive the vaccine. She expressed relief, hope and the importance of continuing to take steps to prevent the spread of the virus in coming months.

“This feels like the beginning to the end of the pandemic and a turning point for us,” Dr. Fox said. “For many people this is a wonderful Christmas gift to receive. I feel like we are making headway after a very long year.

We are vaccinating healthcare staff first and hope to roll out the vaccine to other people in need in the next couple of months. I hope everyone eligible will get the vaccine as soon as it is available to him or her. It will take a large number of people getting this vaccine to make a difference in the pandemic.

A large number of people must be vaccinated and immune before we can rely on protection from the vaccine. It is important to continue to wear a mask, physical distance, wash your hands and do all of the things that have been protecting us over the last nine months.”