A nurse of 10 years at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System was the first person in Minnesota to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Thera Wittie received the vaccine on Tuesday morning.
"I got cheers from my colleagues on my way out there door," Wittie said. "I think everyone is feeling really hopeful that this is the beginning of the end. That there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Just one extra piece of the puzzle that can make things go back to the way they used to be."
Shipments of the vaccine have arrived at hospitals all around Minnesota, according to Governor Tim Walz, who was on-hand to witness the vaccination.
"I'm just incredibly grateful," Walz said. "Watching the system upstairs and to all the people who put this in place. The professionalism to how we got people in, how we tracked them, how the vaccine was stored and administered, and how the follow-up for the next two weeks has been set-up and ready to go. All of those things are working."
Wittie said there were no concerns ahead of the vaccination.
"As a nurse, we base our practice on evidence and I feel safe with the evidence that has been forward with this."
It could be a matter of just a few days until frontline workers at Hennepin County Medical Center begin receiving their vaccines. HCMC is on track to receive nearly 2,000 doses.
"This thing isn't just like opening up your presents from FedEx," said HCMC Dr. David Hilden. "There's a lot of handling and safe handling. We want to make sure we don't want to waste a single dose. The army of nurses are being trained on how to administer it correctly."
Similar vaccine training is happening statewide.
"Minnesotans can rest assured that the professionals who are making this happen have done this at the highest level," Walz said. "The safeguards are in place and the vaccine is now not waiting to go. The vaccines are being given in Minnesota."
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