BayCare Launches Vaccination Clinics For Frontline Staff

TAMPA, FL — BayCare, the largest health system in West Central Florida, today began vaccinating its frontline team members and providers considered most at-risk for exposure to COVID-19.

“BayCare has been working for months on plans to vaccinate team members and providers as quickly as we can,” said Kyle Barr, senior vice president and chief team resources for BayCare Health System. “We have leveraged resources across the system to vaccinate our staff according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, including clinical and nonclinical staff serving and caring for COVID-positive patients.”

First in line this morning was Deanna Myers, RN, a nurse in the Steinbrenner Pediatric Emergency Center at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. A mother of four including one child with chronic respiratory illness, Myers worked through the night before stopping by the one-day vaccination clinic.

“I think it is very important to get this vaccine,” said Myers who has worked at the hospital for 17 years. “I have four children, including one who is chronically ill. By doing this, I can protect him along with myself and my family. I also want to help other people realize that it’s important to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and come out of this pandemic.”

Doses distributed by BayCare were part of the first allocation of vaccines delivered to Tampa General Hospital earlier this week. St. Joseph’s Hospital buzzed with activity well before dawn as pharmacists, nurses and administrators set up an efficient clinic expected to deliver about 480 vaccines by the end of the day. During phase one of distribution, one-day vaccination clinics will move to various locations throughout the health care system.

This press release was produced by the BayCare Health System. The views expressed here are the author’s own.