He became a celebrity in vaccination by accident.
Since being hailed as the first person in the United States to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, New York nurse Sandra Lindsay has become a prominent face in the largest vaccination campaign in the nation’s history.
He has been promoting the shots on panels, at Zoom town halls, and at other events.
“I encourage people to speak to experts who can answer their questions to access reliable science. I let them know it’s okay to ask questions, ”said Lindsay, who has spoken at events in the United States and Jamaica, where she is from.
Lindsay received her vaccination at a televised time on December 14 of last year when the United States was launching its vaccination effort. After obtaining emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration a few days earlier, the first shipments of COVID-19 vaccines had reached hospitals for healthcare workers in high-risk locations.
It was a difficult time for Lindsay, who saw the impact of COVID-19 up close at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens.
“I felt broken, defeated, just tired and drained,” said Lindsay, director of intensive care nursing at the hospital. “Witness the overwhelming loss of life, loss of livelihood.”
Northwell Health said it asked for volunteers to get the injections and that Lindsay “turned out to be the first” among those who raised their hands. The moment was broadcast on television and she became the first American to receive the vaccine outside of a clinical trial.
Since then, Lindsay has been recognized by President Biden as an “outstanding American by choice,” a US Citizenship and Immigration Services program that recognizes citizens who have naturalized.
With the arrival of the Omicron variant and further increases across the country, Lindsay continues to address fears and misinformation. Some mistakenly believe that vaccines are not necessary if you eat right and exercise, Lindsay said. Others say the vaccines are a way for the government to track people or an experiment with black people.
He said he acknowledges the mistrust in communities of color, which stems from past history. But he reassures people by pointing out that he did his own research before getting the vaccine and that safety measures are in place.
“We have had millions and millions of people around the world get vaccinated without any significant adverse events,” he said.
It also emphasizes that getting a vaccine will help protect others.
Some concerns, such as fear of needles, may be easier to address, he said.
After the children entered the pool of people who meet the criteria for vaccination, Lindsay offered comfort to a 9-year-old girl who was receiving the vaccine at the hospital. He had to refuse the girl’s request to vaccinate her since she is not a pediatric nurse, but he offered to take her by the hand, and he did.
Later, Lindsay received a letter from the girl saying how much the gesture had meant.
Looking back, Lindsay said she’s grateful for the role she’s been able to play: “It’s so gratifying to hear people come up to me and say, ‘Thank you very much. You inspired me to get vaccinated. ‘
The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. AP is solely responsible for all content.
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