After caring for thousands of patients battling COVID-19, Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) has received the coronavirus vaccine and has begun vaccinating hospital workers at the highest risk of exposure. Kisa King, a resident in the Department of Emergency Medicine at SBUH, received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, administered by Ian Pak, a pharmacist at the Hospital.

“I am so excited and thankful to be a part of the solution,” said King. “Not only does this mean that I can continue delivering care to my patients, but it also means I am providing protection to my family, friends, and community.”

Based on guidance from the New York State Department of Health, more than 250 personnel working in emergency rooms, critical care units, and other high-risk hospital units are scheduled to receive the vaccine at SBUH by the end of the day. The vaccine administration will be staggered in such a way as to ensure staff has the ability to continue providing necessary patient care. Stony Brook Medicine expects to receive additional doses of vaccine in the coming weeks.

This major milestone comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization for a vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older. The emergency use authorization allows the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. The vaccine has been found to be more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 after two doses.