DuPage County Health Care Workers Await The COVID Vaccine; 'It's A Long Time Coming'
CHICAGO (CBS) --Anticipation is high among health care workers first in line for the vaccine.
CBS 2's Steven Graves reports some doctors and nurses in the western suburbs are preparing to take it as soon as next week.
The news of a COVID-19 vaccine rearing a lot of emotions for those on the front lines.
"I think as a health care provider, it's a long time coming."
Doctor Ankur Singal is in talks with the state and DuPage County about vaccine distribution. He'll be one of the first at Edward-Elmurst Health to get the vaccine.
"Absolutely. I think it's very important for everyone who's able to get a vaccine to protect themselves," Singal said. "The pandemic didn't put a pause on other chronic medical conditions that are ongoing, so I think this is an added layer of protection."
And, he added, more peace of mind going home to close family.
"I didn't hug my family. I didn't kiss my family," Singal said after the pandemic first hit. The doctor said even with a vaccine, precautions are still needed.
"We will continue to practice social distancing and masking," Singal said.
This hospital system as a whole expects to administer the vaccine to staff at earliest by next Tuesday. It will include thousands of front line workers.
"I never thought I would see anything like this."
ER nurse Chris Quinn stopped to talk as he was treating COVID-19 patients.
"It seems like there's a light, a little bit of a light at the end of the tunnel now with the vaccine. We knew the numbers wouldn't get better until a vaccine was available," Quinn said.
Health care workers will take the vaccine, eventually like everyone else in two doses over three weeks.
"We are ready to go."
DuPage County health officials said they're working on creating drive-up sites where people can get the vaccine, once it's more widely available.
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