The Unsung Heroes of The COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA/KECY) - Vaccines continue to roll out across the desert southwest, dozens of health care workers roll up their sleeves and getting doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. As these unsung heroes continue the battle, there are other heroes in the background that are making the efforts possible.
Some check-in frontline workers and ease their nerves before getting the needle, others administer the vaccines. Most importantly they are there side by side to be a shoulder for the day to day warriors.
“What a great day to be alive," said Ana Gutierrez a Nurse Practitioner at Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC). "What a great day to be part of history."
Gutierrez is tasked to ensure that any employee that tests positive knows the proper steps they need to take. On this day, she is tasked with checking in YRMC frontline workers about to get their vaccines.
Another one of those employees ensuring the vaccinations are administered is YRMC's Director of Clinical Operations, Elizabeth 'Liz' Jones.
"We see the vaccine as hope," said Jones. "Hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel."
The check-in tables that both Jones and Gutierrez man become confessionals for tired and overwhelmed frontline workers.
"There's been a lot of emotions even when we are registering healthcare workers to get their vaccine," said Jones. "I've had people crying, literally crying with sad stories."
Stories of patients lost to complications from COVID-19 that they will carry for the rest of their careers, stories that feel way too familiar.
"When HIV first came out that was huge for me," said Gutierrez. "I was a young little nurse back then, when I lived in the '80s there was so much unknown, so much fear, and for me, fear is the worst because fear paralyzes people."
It’s those experiences that make the level of care they provide quite exceptional.
"It makes you realize what is really important in life," said Jones. "The humanity, family, friends being social."
After so many moments, they are left with nothing but hope that there is light and joy at the end of the tunnel.
"We do find joy, we find joy when the patient is wheelchaired out and back to normal,” said Jones. “I took care of a young nurse today who started nursing at Yuma Regional in 2020, in the emergency room and I said if you can make it thru this year as a new nurse you can nurse anywhere you want to because you made it thru the worst."
