Coronavirus vaccine arrives at Kettering Health, staff get shots

Credit: Kettering Health Network

Credit: Kettering Health Network

Kettering Health Network has received its first batch of Moderna coronavirus vaccines Wednesday and is began vaccinating staff at Kettering Medical Center and Grandview Medical Center.

Dr. Hemant Shah was the first in the KHN system Wednesday afternoon to get the first dose of the two-dose Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

“We’ve been in the trenches since it started, running the ICUs. Lots of lots of very, very sick people. Many people dying. The virus doesn’t discriminate. But this is hopefully the light at the end of the tunnel,” Shah said.

The intensive care physician has been on the front lines treating patients and urges everyone to get the vaccine when it is available to them.

He said in only rare circumstances do people have serious anaphylactic allergic reactions.

“As a doctor, I told all my patients to go get it without any hesitation. And I told them I would — and I have,” Shah said.

Additional Kettering Health facilities will begin receiving vaccines as more shipments arrive.

Kettering Health is among the latest hospital networks to get the vaccine. Miami Valley Hospital received 4,300 doses Tuesday, with Dayton Children’s Hospital getting 1,300 shots on the same day. Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy received about 600 doses on Monday.

As of Tuesday, 8,453 people in Ohio have received the first shot, according to the Ohio Department of Health, with 64 in Montgomery County.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots. Gov. Mike DeWine said previously that Ohio is expected to start administering second doses in mid-January.