>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW WE CHECK BACK IN WITH
AMANDA VINICKY WHO SPENT THE DAY
ON CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE IN AUSTIN
AT LORETTO HOSPITAL WHERE THE
FIRST COVID-19 VACCINES WERE
ADMINISTERED IN THE CITY TODAY.
AMANDA?
>> YES, BRANDIS.
A COUPLE HOURS AGO I SPOKE WITH
MARK HOOKS A REGISTERED NURSE
HERE AT THE LORETTO HOSPITAL.
HE HAS WORKED HERE FOR A YEAR
AND HE IS AMONG THE HANDFUL OF
THE MEDICAL WORKERS WHO TODAY
THERE IN THAT BUILDING GOT THAT
FIRST DOSE OF THE PFIZER VACCINE
HERE IN CHICAGO.
AND I STARTED OUT BY ASKING
HOOKS HOW IS IT FEELING AFTER
THAT SHOT?
>> I FEEL AMAZING.
I FEEL GREAT.
I FEEL EXCITED PHYSICALLY, I
DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS.
VERY SLIGHT SORE INNOCENCE MY
LEFT ARM AROUND THE INJECTION
SITE.
I FEEL GREAT.
>> LIKE IF YOU WHEN YOU GET THE
FLU SHOT?
>> YES.
A FLU SHOT OR ANY MEDICINE WE
GIVE DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS INTO
THE MUSCLE SIMILAR TO THE FLU
SHOT FOR SURE.
>> ARE YOU AT ALL UNEASY KNOWING
HOW THE VACCINE WAS FAST TRACKED
AND JUST FRIGHTENED ABOUT
ANYTHING LONG-TERM?
>> I'M NOT CONCERNED AT ALL.
THIS HAS BEEN STUDIED.
SO VERY GRATEFUL THERE WERE SO
MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO WERE WILLING
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY OF
THIS COMING UP TO THE RELEASE.
BUT NO IT'S BEEN STUDIED AND
CLEARED BY THE FDA.
I'VE TALKED TO MY PHYSICIAN AND
SEVERAL OF OUR PHYSICIANS HERE.
AND STUDIED ON MY OWN AND FEEL
IT'S SAFE I HAVE NO CONCERNS
MOVING FORWARD.
>> FIRST PRIORITY WAS GIVEN TO
THOSE IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD
WORKING WITH CORONAVIRUS
PATIENTS.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE
WITH THAT.
THAT'S GOT TO BE VERY HEAVY.
>> IT IS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE DEAL WITH VERY
SICK PATIENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS
PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.
IS SO WE ARE USED TO SEEING
PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE IN THEIR
TOUGHEST SPOT.
CORONAVIRUS HAS BEEN ANOTHER
LEVEL OF SUFFERING OF PAIN AND
ALL THE PATIENTS ARE COMING IN
THEY DON'T HAVE FAMILY WITH
THEM.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY LOVED ONES
BY THEIR BEDSIDE BECAUSE OF
VISITOR RESTRICTIONS.
THAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART
THEY HAVE BEEN SUFFERING ALONE.
WE DO OUR BEST TO BE AT THEIR
BEDSIDE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO
COMFORT THEM AND REASSURE THEM
AND THAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST
PART.
ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE SEEN SO
MANY INCREDIBLY SICK PEOPLE.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
GETTING TO A POINT WHERE
EVERYONE CAN GET VACCINATED WHO
WANTS TO AND MOVE ON PAST THIS
PANDEMIC.
>> ALMOST AS IF YOU ARE NOT ONLY
AN RN BUT A HOSPICE NURSE AS
WELL.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHEN
YOU HAVE TO BE THERE?
WHEN THEY ARE ALONE AND HURTING?
>> YES.
SO I JUST REASSURE THEM AGAIN
AND AGAIN THAT WE'RE HERE FOR
THEM.
IF THEY NEED ANYTHING WE LEAVE
THEIR CALL LIGHT BY THE BEDSIDE.
I'M NOT AFRAID TO GO IN THEIR
ROOM IF THEY ARE COVID POSITIVE
I PUT ON THE PPE GEAR AND GO IN
THERE BECAUSE THAT IS OUR
PRIORITY.
SO I TRY TO REASSURE THEM THAT
WE'RE THERE FOR THEM THAT IS OUR
PURPOSE TO BE THERE AND MAKE
THEM COMFORTABLE IN ANYWAY WE
CAN.
AND TRY TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AND
TRY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR LIVES
BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE FAMILY
THERE I TRY TO UNDERSTAND A
LITTLE BIT MORE THAN I WOULD
PREVIOUSLY.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO THEY ARE.
SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT SOMEONE
IS THERE LISTENING AND CONCERNED
AND WANTS TO --
>> HOW WILL THE VACCINE CHANGE
THINGS PARTICULARLY ONCE YOU'VE
GOTTEN THAT SECOND DOSE AND
PRESUMABLY DON'T HAVE TO
PERSONALLY FEAR GETTING COVID
ANYMORE?
>> IT WON'T PEEDLY CHANGE
ANYTHING FOR ME.
--
IMMEDIATELY CHANGE ANYTHING FOR
ME.
I NEED TO PROTECT OTHER PEOPLE.
I NEED TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO
EVERYONE ELSEWHERING A MASK.
I DON'T WANT TO BE WALKING DOWN
THE STREET AND PEOPLE SAY THAT
LOOKS LIKE THAT NURSE I SAW AT
THE HOSPITAL AND HE IS NOT
WEARING A MASK.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE UNTIL
THE NUMBERS GO DOWN AND PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE TELL US
IT'S SAFE TO NOT WEAR A MASK AND
THAT IS QUITE A WAYS AWAY.
I WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE WE WILL
NOT HAVE STAFF CALLING IN SICK
WE HAVE HAD STAFF MEMBERS WHO
WERE SICK AND SOME VERY SICK AND
HOSPITALIZED.
SO IN ORDER FOR US TO CONTINUE
TO BE ABLE TO BE PRESENT FOR THE
PATIENTS, THIS IS GOING TO BE
GREAT FOR OUR STAFF.
>> BECAUSE ONLY IF MEDICAL STAFF
ARE HEALTHY WILL THEY BE ABLE TO
WORK TO TRY TO GET THEIR
PATIENTS TO BE SO AS WELL.
FOLKS WHO LIVE NEARBY SAY
PERHAPS THE AREA NEARBY THE
LORETTO HOSPITAL HAS SUFFERED
THE MOST IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO
FROM COVID.
BUT HE SAYS TODAY WAS A GREAT