Sentara Healthcare received 11,700 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine the morning of Monday, Dec. 14. Additional shipments with the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine and an initial shipment of the Moderna vaccine are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.

Sentara has started to distribute the initial vaccine supply across its Virginia hospitals. Following CDC and Virginia Department of Health recommendations, Sentara is offering the vaccine first to health care workers who are at the highest risk for exposure.

This includes emergency department staff, ICUs, COVID patient units, respiratory unit staff and hospital staff who provide services in these areas (e.g., ESD, food service, staff who go into patient rooms), among others. The vaccine is voluntary for Sentara employees.

Sentara began the process of vaccinating frontline health care workers on Dec. 15, starting with several employees at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Gov. Ralph Northam attended to observe the first p...