NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — President Joe Biden honored the first American to be vaccinated against COVID-19 during a naturalization ceremony at the White House on Friday afternoon.
Sandra Lindsay, a critical care nurse at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center, rolled up her sleeve for her first dose of Pfizer's vaccine in December, setting in motion the country's vaccination program.
Lindsay immigrated to Queens from Jamaica 30 years ago.
Biden awarded her the "Outstanding American by Choice" distinction.
According to the Associated Pres, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services program recognizes citizens who have been naturalized.
"She's pursued her dream of becoming a nurse to allow her to do what she wanted to do most — give back to her new country," Biden said. "During the height of the pandemic she poured her heart and soul into the work to help patients fight for their lives, to keep her fellow nurses safe."
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"With a grandson at home, prematurely, she did what she had to do. She kept her distance and kept him safe. He is safe, but she lost an aunt and an uncle to the virus," Biden added. "But in her pain she didn't lose hope. When the time came, she was the first person in America to get fully vaccinated outside of clinical trials. She can now hug her grandson, she's out there making sure her patients folks in her community are getting vaccinated so they could get back to their lives and their loved ones."
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Lindsay's vaccination card, hospital scrubs, and badge will be included in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Exhibit on COVID-19.
Also Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed that Lindsay will serve as the grand marshal of New York City's "Hometown Heroes" ticker tape parade next week.