First COVID-19 vaccine delivered in NY

The first coronavirus vaccination in New York State was administered on Monday to an intensive care unit nurse as the vaccine rollout begins.

BREAKING: Critical care nurse in New York is among first in US to receive a coronavirus vaccine: “We all need to do our parts to put an end to the pandemic.” pic.twitter.com/I8SIFuddFv

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 14, 2020

States across the country are beginning vaccinations on Monday, and it is possible this was also the first coronavirus vaccination in the United States, outside of a clinical trial.

The images broadcast live on television of the nurse, Sandra Lindsay, receiving the shot in her arm are a hopeful sign amid months of the grim pandemic.

“It didn’t feel any different from taking any other vaccine,” Lindsay said after getting the shot of the Pfizer vaccine.

President Trump quickly took to Twitter to comment.

“First Vaccine Administered,” Trump tweeted. “Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD!”

Monday’s vaccinations mark a turning point in the pandemic as a vaccine that has been eagerly awaited for months starts to become available to some of the population.

U.S. officials estimate about 20 million people could be vaccinated in December, beginning with health care workers and people in nursing homes. 

Still, there are several likely brutal months of the pandemic remaining until there are enough doses of the vaccine for it to be widely available to the general public, likely sometime in the spring.

“I believe this is the weapon that will end the war,” said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), who watched the vaccination at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens via video link.

There are still daunting distribution challenges ahead, and states are pressing Congress for money to help carry out the vaccination campaign.

“The vaccine doesn’t work if it’s in the vial,” Cuomo said.

Updated at 9:51 a.m.