HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—The first group of frontline healthcare workers with Hartford HealthCare to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine rolled up their sleeves again Monday to get their second and final dose.
At the healthcare system's clinic in the Connecticut Convention Center, physicians, nurses and other frontline healthcare workers received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Senior System Director for Infection Prevention at Hartford HealthCare Keith Grant was among those to get that final dose Monday morning. He was also among the first to get the first shot 21 days ago.
With weeks under his belt, Grant said it's clear that the vaccine is as safe as indicated by the safety profile that came from the trial period.
When looking at the data, the majority of those that have felt side effects experienced just some pain at the injection site, according to Grant.
Some pain is expected, Grant said, "The trails did show about 84% percent of individuals complaining of some pain at the site."
The pain subsides within 24 to 48 hours, Grant said.
Hartford HealthCare is also expanding its vaccine distribution with the help of the state's Department of Public Health.
The healthcare system is opening its eleventh vaccination clinic in Norwich next week, System Director of Pharmacy Eric Arlia said. Currently, clinic capacity is a little over two thousand, but work is underway to increase that next week, according to Arlia.
As long as Connecticut's allocation of the vaccine remains strong, Arlia said the system's weekly rate of administering the vaccine will increase.
As of Sunday, Hartford HealthCare has vaccinated 13,500 people, Arlia said.
Updates on the state's vaccination efforts are available on the state website.
