RAMANDA Lee gets her COVID-19 vaccination in Florida while wearing a T-shirt created by Bahamian artist Angelika Wallace-Whitfield. The Bahamian nurse works in the United States, and was vaccinated as part of the Jackson South Medical Center’s team, making her one of the first Bahamians to get the new vaccine.
RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
NURSE Ramanda Lee became one of the first Bahamians to get the COVID-19 vaccine last Friday, pushing aside her initial scepticism.
The 34-year-old grew up in New Providence but moved to the United States about nine years ago and currently works as a nurse at the Jackson South Medical Center in Florida. The Jackson Health System has received over 19,000 vaccines that are being distributed throughout its hospitals.
“My hospital, we got thrown into the whole COVID situation that was going on and what prompted me to get the vaccine was just seeing what the patients and families have been going through,” Nurse Lee told The Tribune. “I felt personally that it was a step in the right direction to be one of the first people to get the vaccine.”
Receiving the Pfizer vaccine, she said, was a simple, non-extraordinary process.
“It was just like every other vaccination that you’ve done,” she said. “They registered me because it is a new vaccine and they want you to wait 15 to 30 minutes to see if you have a reaction. When I didn’t have a reaction, they let me back to work. This is day three now and while there is soreness to the injection site which is normal, I’ve had no effects.” Read more >>