Gavin Stone | Daily Journal
                                Seniors who have received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine at FirstHealth on Monday wait in the hallway while socially distanced for 15 minutes to be sure that they aren’t having any immediate negative reaction to the vaccine.

Gavin Stone | Daily Journal

Seniors who have received their first dose of the Moderna vaccine at FirstHealth on Monday wait in the hallway while socially distanced for 15 minutes to be sure that they aren’t having any immediate negative reaction to the vaccine.

<p>Gavin Stone | Daily Journal</p>
                                <p>Mary Fulp receives the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Monday, administered by Kim Bowden, an R.N. with the Richmond County Health Department. Fulp will return in 28 days for the second dose, which greatly increases her immunity to COVID-19.</p>

Gavin Stone | Daily Journal

Mary Fulp receives the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Monday, administered by Kim Bowden, an R.N. with the Richmond County Health Department. Fulp will return in 28 days for the second dose, which greatly increases her immunity to COVID-19.

ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County’s elderly population lined up in droves to get access to the COVID-19 vaccine now available to those 75 years or older under Phase 1b – Group 1 of the rollout.

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital – Richmond and the Richmond County Health Department partnered to administer the vaccine for this group. Their goal for this week is to give 800 people their first dose of the vaccine, with 200 vaccinated each day — Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Fifteen of the Health Department’s staff were on-hand Monday morning at FirstHealth helping to administer the vaccine, and the Health Department is also helping those who schedule appointments to pre-register for the vaccine to help the process go smoother. Appointments are being scheduled about two weeks out.

“I couldn’t wait for this day to come,” said Mary Fulp of Ellerbe as she was prepped for her first dose of the vaccine along with her husband, Bernie Fulp.

For Mary Ormsby, 77, of Rockingham, getting the vaccine as early as possible was about protecting her family; her elderly husband is at-risk and her son has multiple sclerosis (MS).

“I don’t want (the virus) but I don’t want them to get it,” Ormsby said. “I came as soon as it was available.”

Ormsby said the process at the hospital had gone “smooth” and commended the staff for being “so well organized,” resulting in her and her husband being vaccinated and moved to the observation section of the hospital within 25 minutes.

Those eligible for the vaccine in this group are anyone who is 75 years old or older regardless of medical condition or living situation. If you fit this description and would like to be vaccinated, call (910) 417-3030 to schedule your appointment. The hospital and Health Department ask that you be prepared to leave a voicemail with your name, date of birth, email address and a phone number where you can be reached. A representative of the hospital or Health Department will call you back within 72 hours to schedule your appointment.

The second dose will be given 28 days after your first dose. FirstHealth and the Health Department will schedule your second vaccine at the time you receive the first one. In Richmond County, all residents will receive the Moderna vaccine.

Christy Land, an R.N. and the administrative director of quality and patient safety for FirstHealth-Richmond, called the move to Phase 1b – Group 1 an “important milestone” in the fight against the pandemic for frontline workers.

“Vaccinating as many people as possible is the only way to end this pandemic and provide some much-needed relief to our healthcare workers,” Land said. “We know the 75-plus age group is at high risk for serious illness from COVID, so we are thrilled to be able to play a key role in providing these residents some added protection from the virus.”

Tommy Jarrell, director of the Richmond County Health Department, said in an interview Monday that the partnership with FirstHealth allows for a more “efficient” use of the two entities’ limited resources. They are allotted doses on a weekly basis, and don’t know how much they will receive each time.

“I think it’s worked out well, this being our first morning (of vaccinating the new group),” Jarrell said. “We’re working on things to improve efficiency even this afternoon.”

Asked if anyone has had any negative reactions to the first dose of the vaccine, Jarrell and Land said they have not had any yet. Land said that the hospital has EpiPens, stretchers, wheelchairs and other resources at the ready to help anyone who has an allergic reaction. Patients are being asked to wait 15 minutes for monitoring before being released after receiving the vaccine.

Fulp said she has been staying home, washing her hands, and only heading out to pick up food at the grocery store in order to reduce her risk of infection.

“I’ve heard a lot of people say they weren’t going to take (the vaccine) but I would suggest they take it,” she said.

Land cautioned that it’s still not time to “celebrate” but the continuing progress of the vaccine rollout offers a “glimpse of hope.”

“We still have a long road ahead of us. We need to continue to urge everyone to do their part and take preventative measures, like hand-washing, social distancing, and mask-wearing,” Land said. “I cannot stress enough the importance of these measures especially as we are seeing the surge of positive cases after the holiday season.”

Reach Gavin Stone at 910-817-2673 or [email protected]. To support the Richmond County Daily Journal, subscribe at https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/subscribe.