Beaumont administers first doses of vaccine
‘There’s a lot of security around this. It almost feels like it’s gold.’
SOUTHFIELD » Minutes after he was injected with Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Chadi Ibrahim said he felt like he won the lottery.
Honestly, luck had nothing to do with it. Ibrahim directs the COVID-19 unit at Troy Beaumont. He earned the honor.
“We’ve been knee-deep in it since the beginning,” Ibrahim said.
The physician was chosen as one of the first 130 Beaumont Health employees to be vaccinated on Tuesday. It was a historic moment.
Nine hundred and seventy-five doses of the vaccine were delivered via UPS to the loading dock at Troy Beaumont at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
“We took it immediately from the dock to the dock here at the Beaumont Service Center (in Southfield) via a very large Beaumont truck for one small box,” said Carolyn Wilson, Beaumont Health Chief Operating Officer.
The Troy Police and Michigan State Police escorted the truck to Southfield.
“There’s a lot of security around this. It almost feels like it’s gold,” Wilson said.
Dr. Nick Gilpin, director of epidemiology and infection prevention for Beaumont Health, was the first of 15 Beaumont employees vaccinated at a media event at the Southfield Center.
The needle went in at 2 p.m., and then the applause broke out.
Saaja Rayford, a registered nurse in the COVID unit at Troy Beaumont, said she was excited, hopeful and happy after receiving the vaccine.
“People have to understand we all have to do our part. Today isn’t a cure for COVID by any means, we still have to wear masks and social distance,” Rayford said. “We all have to lift each other up, it’s a hard time right now. The world is sick right now but we’re going to get better. We’ll get through it.”
She’s worked through the pandemic and said it’s been tough emotionally.
“It’s heart-breaking to see what the patients and families go through especially when the families can’t be there at the bedside,’’ Rayford said.
Just minutes before receiving the vaccine, Deanna Sauger was just nervous about it all. Sauger is an environmental services attendant at Royal Oak Beaumont.
“We were a COVID unit back in the spring. It’s something you’ll never forget,’’ Sauger said. “I work in the cardiac unit right now. It’s not COVID, but we do get patients here and there that will test positive.’’
Pam Rose, a registered nurse at the Farmington Hills Beaumont, said she only sees COVID patients these days. She hasn’t tested
positive but had colleagues who did. A nurse for nine years, she said this is definitely the most trying time.
“There’s been highs and lows. In the spring it was a lot of adrenalin and just trying to get through the surge that lasted six or eight weeks or so,’’ Rose said. “Through summer and the early part of fall, things were terrible but not as bad as it is right now again.
“It’s a lot for everybody for all of the doctors, nurses, all of the staff, for the patients and families it’s very, very sad for them. They’re not able to have family or visitors, they’re alone,’’ Rose said.
Wilson said all 975 doses will be given to Beaumont employees in the next few
days. A new shipment of 975 doses will arrive prior to their second dose in 21 days.
“I feel like it’s the best Christmas gift ever,’’ Wilson said.