Choctaw Health Center is the first healthcare facility in Neshoba Co. to recieve COVID-19 vaccine

In Neshoba County, the Choctaw Health Center is the first healthcare facility in the county to receive a delivery of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

425 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was delivered to the Choctaw Health Center on December 16, and the very next day, the hospital began phase one of its distribution plans, administering the vaccine to its employees.

CHC is not requiring its employees to take the vaccine, but more than a third of the hospital’s employees agreed to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Over the course of 2 days, December 17 and today, the first 100 vaccinations were administered.

Mary Harrison, Interim Director of the Choctaw Health Center, and Dr. Kerry Scott, Interim Chief Medical Officer of the Choctaw Health Center, both shared that they both have received the vaccine, and excited to be in phase one of distributing the vaccine.

“It was just a historic event, even for us here. We know that this is a sign of hope going forward and changing the outlook of what is to come, you know, from the pandemic. So, yes, we have taken it, we do have our stickers saying that we did receive the vaccine,” said Mary Harrison, Interim Director of the Choctaw Health Center.

They also shared what the next steps are for those who have received the first dose of the vaccine.

“After patients receive their vaccine, they’ll wait about 15 minutes to watch for the side effects they may experience. We’re also using the CDC program called the “be safe” program, to where they can log in to that program, and it will actually monitor them throughout the day, and then check on them throughout the week, and also remind them of their next vaccine dosage,” said Kerry Scott, Interim Chief Medical Officer of the Choctaw Health Center.

Saying in addition, that they are eager to begin the process of administering it to the general population, once that phase comes.

“So, the hope really is that we do want to eradicate, -- you know, the covid-19 disease in our community. It really is the start of where we need to go, in going forward. It has been really helpful for us, with the start of getting the vaccines in our community, and it’s really – the next step is to get people to come and take the vaccine,” said Harrison.

The Choctaw Health Center’s Vaccine Task force will be following the COVID-19 vaccine distribution phases recommended by the Indian Health Service and the CDC, as they continue to distribute the vaccine.