Long Awaited COVID Vaccine Arrives At OC MemorialCare Hospitals

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA — MemorialCare in both Saddleback Medical center of Laguna Hills and Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley have begun administering coronavirus vaccinations.

The hospitals' frontline health care workers are the first to receive the vaccines, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control guidelines for vaccine prioritization, they said. Those who receive the vaccines are the workers who interact directly with the COVID-19 patients at the hospital. They received the Pfizer vaccine this week and will be followed up with booster vaccines within 21 days.

More shipments of vaccine are expected within the coming weeks, a spokesperson for the hospital tells Patch. Marica Manker, CEO of Orange Coast Medical Center and Saddleback Medical Center, described the event.

“From the very beginning, the MemorialCare family has embraced every challenge presented by the virus by taking the necessary precautions to protect our staff and patients, and with a tireless commitment to providing the highest quality of care to those afflicted," Manker said. "With the delivery of this vaccine, we are more hopeful than ever that we can defeat the virus.”

Orange Coast’s first physician to receive a vaccine was Chief of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Hubert Wong.

“This vaccine is the light at the end of the tunnel for all of us. I can’t wait for everyone to return to a state of normalcy,” said Dr. Wong.

With initial vaccinations now underway, MemorialCare continues to implore its served communities and residents throughout Southern California to follow CDC guidelines to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“While the vaccine is not immediately available to the public, MemorialCare is working diligently on procuring as many doses as possible to meet the needs of our healthcare workers, patients, and community,” Manker said. “Until then, we ask everyone to continue to take the necessary steps to protect themselves and those around them to prevent and minimize the spread of COVID-19.”