FROM LEXINGTON MEDICAL CENTER – Lexington Medical Center received its first delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine, Tuesday. UPS delivered 2,925 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to the hospital campus in West Columbia at 9:30 a.m.

The doses arrived in one box packed with dry ice that included GPS tracking and a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Lexington Medical Center has freezers that are storing the doses at the required very cold temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius. 

Lexington Medical Center has developed a prioritization schedule for administering vaccines to employees. The schedule takes into account the extent of their contact with COVID-19 patients and those who will benefit the most from the vaccine. 

Lexington Medical Center began vaccinating employees Tuesday at 3 p.m.

The COVID-19 vaccine is an important tool that will help Lexington Medical Center keep its workforce healthy and continue to care for the Midlands community during this pandemic.

“The arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine is a historic moment for Lexington Medical Center, our community and the world,” said Tod Augsburger, president & CEO of Lexington Medical Center. “We’ve been anxiously anticipating this monumental day and hope it signifies a turning point and the beginning of the end of this global pandemic.”

Information from Lexington Medical Center about vaccinating members of the community will be provided at a later time.