Officials at Mercy Hospitals report that, on Monday, the first COVID-19 vaccines were administered across several Mercy hospitals. Dr. Candy Lindsey, ER and trauma director for Mercy Fort Smith’s critical access hospitals, received the first vaccine. Dr. Paul Bean, chief medical officer at Mercy Fort Smith, also discusses the vaccine’s importance.
Officials began final preparations for the new Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine immediately following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization on Friday. The vaccine was approved for those 16 years old and older.