Suwon Hospitals Begin COVID-19 Vaccination Drive on the 4th, Starting Inoculations in Succession

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Hospitals in Suwon began COVID-19 vaccinations in succession on the 4th, marking the start of efforts to end the pandemic.

Wells Memorial Hospital in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province's only hospital to be recognized four consecutive times as a spine specialty hospital, announced it began administering AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to its medical staff on that day.

Wells Memorial Hospital (Suwon) received 300 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine on the 3rd and began vaccinations starting at 9 a.m. on the 4th.

Vaccinations are being administered at the Internal Medicine Center on the third floor to doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, medical technicians, pharmacists, and nutritionists.

This AstraZeneca vaccine vaccination follows the vaccination plan targeting healthcare workers at hospitals where many critical patients visit. The AstraZeneca vaccine requires a second dose 8-12 weeks after the first dose.

Healthcare workers receiving vaccinations complete pre-vaccination questionnaires and have their clinical symptoms and body temperature checked before vaccination. After vaccination, they remain in the waiting area for 15-30 minutes to observe for adverse reactions before leaving.

Hospital Director Park Chun-geun said, "Through this vaccination, our medical staff will be able to care for patients more actively in a safer environment," and "We will provide better medical services as a hospital trusted by patients."

Lee Chun-taek Hospital under Jangssan Medical Foundation also began AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccinations on that day.

The first phase of vaccinations targets approximately 200 healthcare workers. Vaccination recipients were divided into groups of about 10, underwent identity verification at the registration stage, completed pre-vaccination questionnaires, and went through an internal medicine specialist consultation before receiving the vaccine.

After vaccination, recipients are monitored in a separate monitoring area for 15 to 30 minutes or longer depending on the situation to check for adverse reactions, then undergo another internal medicine specialist consultation.

On the first day of vaccination, approximately 20 healthcare workers received the vaccine, and starting the next day, approximately 50 workers per day will be vaccinated, with about 200 staff members expected to complete vaccination over the next four days.

Hospital Director Yun Sung-hwan said, "Through vaccination, our staff will be able to work in a safer environment, and patients will also be able to visit the hospital with greater peace of mind. We will do our best for rapid vaccination," and "Through this vaccination, we hope the COVID-19 crisis will end as soon as possible and we can recover our lost daily lives."