MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Select Moody Air Force Base personnel received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Jan. 6.
The initial shipment of the vaccine arrived in early January. The Department of Defense’s distribution plan implemented a three-tier process following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations. Tier one prioritizes medical workers, emergency services, high-risk individuals and public safety workers as the first recipients of the vaccine.
Lt. Col. (Dr.) Travis Russell, 23d Wing public health emergency officer and 23d Operational Medical Readiness Squadron commander, received the first administration, followed by other 23d Medical Group personnel.
“I can actually tell you that the injection is equal to every vaccine I've gotten pretty much since I've been in the military,” said Russell. “And as a physician, I actually get a chunk more [vaccines] than [others]. However, the actual injection was basically just a needle stick in the arm. No concern from that.”
Although the vaccine is not mandatory, many tier one members of Moody have received the vaccine.
“[I] am getting [my] first [COVID-19] vaccine and it’s really exciting,” said Master Sgt. Leilani Guevarra, 23d Healthcare Operations Squadron superintendent. “I believe that this will actually help us, for the safety of people around us that may be high risk when it comes to their health. It’s also protecting the people [who] we care about, and that’s not just for Moody personnel, but everyone in our community.”
The vaccine will be administered in a two-dose series: the initial, and then the booster 28 days later.
Moody’s medical professionals encourage personnel and the community to continue to wash their hands, wear masks and practice social distancing to limit the spread of the virus.
For more information about COVID-19 and the vaccines, visit https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/Coronavirus/fbclid/ or https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Combat-Support/Public-Health/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccine-Efforts
To hear more from Russell, check out the videos here and here.