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The COVID-19 Vaccination
What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine
The arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine is exciting news, and Baptist is dedicated to keeping you informed about our plans to distribute the vaccine once it is available for the general public.
Who gets the vaccine first?
Initially, the vaccine is available to frontline medical workers — the doctors, nurses and technicians who work directly with COVID-19 positive patients — and the most vulnerable to developing serious illness form the virus. As more vaccines receive approval for use and supplies become more plentiful, vaccinations will be made available to the general public in accordance with guidelines set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. government.
Why should you get the vaccine once it becomes available?
Recognizing that the decision to get the vaccine is a personal one, Baptist joins with the CDC and other health care organizations and experts in encouraging all eligible persons to receive the vaccine when it becomes available for two reasons:
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe. Since the federal government launched Operation Warp Speed to accelerate the process of making a COVID-19 vaccine, safety has always been the top priority. The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible through exhaustive clinical trials, monitoring and reporting. So while the manufacturing process has been faster than normal to create ample supply, the testing phases of the vaccines have not been shortened or streamlined.
It is extremely important that we all get the vaccine. Vaccines have proven to be the most effective and accessible tools to slowing the transmission of diseases and eradicating them. The faster and more widespread distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in our community, the sooner we can end the pandemic and return to a more normal way of life.
Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine
To learn more about the safety, effectiveness and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, or go to CDC.gov.