PHOTOS: Abington Hospital Workers Get 1st Doses Of COVID Vaccine

ABINGTON, PA — The mood was jubilant at Abington Hospital over the past few days as the first doses of the new coronavirus vaccine were administered to hospital workers who have been on the front lines of the virus for months.

More than 100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were given to employees in the highest priority categories, marking a light at the end of the pandemic's long tunnel.

"It was unlike anything a lot of us had ever experienced," Dr. Gerard Cleary, the chief medical officer and chief of staff at Abington – Jefferson Health, told Patch on Monday. "There was so much positive energy, and a real sense of excitement to get going with it."

Cleary said that there is a period of observation for each person who receives the vaccine, to watch for anything unusual. There were no adverse reactions among those who were vaccinated at Abington. State officials last week also reported no adverse effects among the first 1,205 doses adminstered across Pennsylvania.

RELATED: First 1,200 Doses Of COVID Vaccine Administered 'Smoothly' In PA

The vaccine comes as hospitals around Montgomery County and throughout the region face a record number of cases. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have overwhelmed emergency rooms. In Montgomery County, about 31 percent of hospital beds are taken by COVID patients.

"This is the start of ending a lot of suffering," Cleary said.

Cleary said the vaccine shot "feels like a normal shot." There is little difference between this COVID shot in terms of needle size, placement of the needle, or sensation, than a typical flu shot.

For those still apprehensive about the process, Cleary expressed strong confidence in the vaccine.

"We have a lot of confidence in the efficacy of this vaccine," he said. "The safety profile in studies was very favorable. The experience to date has been very favorable...there are no reservations."

Abington was one of nine Montgomery County hospitals that received their first doses of the vaccine for healthcare workers last week. Abington expects to vaccinate another 200 workers over a 12-hour period on Monday.

Hospitals which received the vaccine first were chosen based on their ability to store Pfizer's doses, which require a specialized, ultra-cold refrigeration unit which many facilities do not have.

These first doses of the vaccine are earmarked specifically for hospital workers. Nursing homes will begin to receive doses on Dec. 28, followed by other critical frontline workers. Dr. Rachel Levine, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health, estimated that the general public might be able to receive the vaccine at some point in the late spring or early summer.