MISSOULA — Community Medical Center has begun vaccinating frontline healthcare workers against COVID-19.
The first people to receive the vaccine at the hospital were two ICU nurses.
The COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to all hospital staff, Missoula Emergency Services frontline workers & LifeFlight.
The vaccine is voluntary for Community Medical Center staff, according to a news release.
The vaccine clinic started at 7 a.m.and CMC expects to vaccinate 150 people on Thursday.
Jack Lowney, an RN at CMC, says it's been great seeing people come together but says working in the ICU, he's seen the worst of the pandemic.
"Not being able to see family, etc. you have patients that are super sick, they're scared, they're dying, and they don't have that family background and support, because of the unprecedented times," Lowney said.
"That's been some of the biggest challenges we've seen with some of our patients," he added.
Lowney says getting the vaccine is hopefully the start to the end.
Other nurses say, as some of the first in the country to receive the vaccine, they want to set a good example.
CMC received the first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday.
- information from Katie Miller included in this report