Jupiter Medical Center Begins COVID-19 Vaccinations for Healthcare Workers

The first shipment of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines was delivered to Jupiter Medical Center. The hospital will begin long-awaited vaccinations today.

JUPITER, Fla. (December 23, 2020) – Covid-19 vaccines became a reality today as Jupiter Medical Center accepted its first shipment of the life-saving vaccinations from the state this morning. The hospital has initiated administration of the Moderna Covid-19 which will initially be given to healthcare workers who remain on the frontlines of the pandemic. An FDA advisory panel recommended on Thursday, December 17^th that the Moderna vaccine receive an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), which was issued this past Friday.

“Receiving the vaccines is a crucial advance in our battle against the pandemic,” stated Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM, CEO of Jupiter Medical Center. “Our frontline physicians, nurses and staff have been working tirelessly to care for Covid-19 patients and as a result have the highest exposure to this virus. Vaccinations will provide them with the protection they need to continue their critical work.”

Jupiter Medical Center’s initial vaccination plan focuses on healthcare workers. Based on CDC guidelines, the hospital’s leadership team in collaboration with medical staff leadership has developed a plan for vaccinating JMC team members and medical staff, prioritizing vaccinations for those who face high risk exposures or high frequency of events. Those who are slated to receive vaccinations include individuals working in the COVID Unit, the Emergency Department, and the Intensive Care Unit. Consistent with the ACIP guidelines, the hospital has prioritized individuals providing direct patient care and those individuals who handle infectious material. The vaccinations require two doses, four weeks apart.

“In line with national models, we anticipate that it will take several weeks to provide the initial dose of the vaccine to our team members and medical staff. We will be working with state authorities to coordinate Jupiter Medical Center’s participation in the vaccination of our community members, which we anticipate will begin in the spring based on CDC projections. This plan continues to evolve and the timeframe depends on our allocation of vaccine, when they are received, as well as evolving CDC and ACIP recommendations,” says Dr. Rastogi.

Jupiter Medical Center remains committed to being a leader in the fight against the pandemic and coordinating with state and local authorities to rapidly vaccinate team members, providers, and members of the South Florida community. Jupiter Medical Center has set up an informational page on the hospital’s website. Updates on the vaccine distribution will be posted every Tuesday and Friday and as they become available via the following link: https://www.jupitermed.com/covid19-vaccine/.

“The arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine certainly brings much needed hope that we will all soon be on the path to “normalcy’ in our lives for which we have been yearning,” says Dr. Rastogi.

The Moderna Vaccine

The Moderna vaccine is based on a messenger RNA platform. The messenger RNA enters the cell and encodes the spike protein of the virus, which in turn causes the body to develop antibodies against this antigen. The vaccine demonstrated 94.1% efficacy in preventing COVID infection in a Phase III trial which included 30,000 participants. Vaccination requires 2 doses, 4 weeks apart. Additionally, there were no severe cases of COVID disease in the few patients who did contract COVID illness after vaccination. The side effect profile is excellent. There were no patients who had an anaphylactic or severe hypersensitivity reaction. The most common adverse reaction was injection site pain (90%). A flu-like syndrome with: fatigue (60%), muscle pain (60%), joint pain (40%), and chills (40%) which lasted for 1 to 2 days was also fairly common. This syndrome was more frequently seen after the 2^nd dose and in younger patients (<55 years old). Serious adverse events occurred in less than 1% of patients in the vaccine group and in the control group, with no evidence that these were related to the vaccine.

Jupiter Medical Center

Rated No. 1 for safety, quality and patient satisfaction, Jupiter Medical Center is the leading destination for world-class health care in Palm Beach County and across the Treasure Coast. The award-winning hospital is iconic throughout the state because of its outstanding team of physicians, state-of-the-art facilities, innovative techniques and technologies and commitment to compassionate care. Jupiter Medical Center is recognized as the region’s only independent, not-for-profit hospital providing an array of inpatient and outpatient services, including Heart and Vascular Healthcare, Oncology, Orthopedics and Women & Children’s Healthcare Services.

For more information about Jupiter Medical Center, please call 561-263-2234 or visit www.jupitermed.com.