​Clara Maass Gives First Coronavirus Vaccine To ICU Nurse

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Clara Maass Medical Center on Monday kicked off its effort to vaccinate its employees and the public with the inoculation of an ICU nurse who has spent the past 10 months treating patients ill with COVID-19.

The nurse, Tanya Howard, was the first person vaccinated in the hospital's new COVID-19 vaccination clinic, which opened at 8 a.m. on Monday with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by hospital administration.

“I made the decision to be among the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to protect myself and my family, and to help bring an end to the awful pandemic that has affected the entire country," Howard said in a statement. "As a nurse who has worked along the front lines over the last 10 months caring for patients that I knew would never recover from COVID-19, the vaccine represents a promising moment in time for our community and the entire world.”

The hospital, a part of RWJBarnabas Health, has joined the New Jersey health department's effort to vaccinate 70 percent of the state's adult population within six months.

RWJBarnabas Health staff, meanwhile, will be vaccinated over a six period, with an initial dose given in weeks one to three and a second dose in weeks four to six.

In a statement, Clara Maass President and CEO Mary Ellen Clyne thanked health care workers for their efforts during the pandemic.

“Throughout the entire pandemic, our frontline ‘sheroes’ and heroes have done a yeoman’s job in caring for patients through an unprecedented period of time and in preparing for this day in which a solution has now become available” Clyne said in a statement.