TEMPLE, Texas — Baylor Scott & White Temple received its first batch of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday.
BS&W Temple received 3,900 doses. It is one of 19 sites in Texas to receive the vaccine which was approved by the FDA Dec. 11.
"We can confirm that we have received our vaccines and that we have begun the process of vaccinating our healthcare workers," a statement from the hospital read.
Dr. Tresa McNeal said Monday that while the vaccine is not required for the hospital's frontline workers, many of them said they want it.
"Healthcare workers are lining up to get the vaccine," McNeal said. "We have many many people that are ready to get it beyond the frontline workers that are at the highest level of risk."
Dr. Stephen Sibbitt, the Chief Medical Officer at Baylor Scott & White in Temple, said he is so incredibly proud of those he works with and that seeing them line up to receive the vaccine was emotional.
"Our frontline healthcare workers have been working tirelessly," he said. "They have put themselves at risk for the care of our patients and they have really stood up to all the uncertainties of the pandemic and to see the joy in their faces as they lined up to receive this vaccine was really, was really a proud moment."
Ascension Providence and Baylor Scott and White - Hillcrest in Waco were set to receive 975 doses each later in the week.
Texas will receive more than 220,000 doses of the vaccine in the first week of distribution, state health officials said.
Dr. Sibbitt said he will wait his turn to get the vaccine but will do so when he's called on to receive it and he'll do so without hesitation.
"Based on the emergency use authorization and our own internal task force to receive the vaccine, I will certainly stand in line to get this vaccine but I want all deserving that want it to get it first however," he said.
Sibbitt told 6 News that the history made today will give doctors and nurses the strength to finally beat COVID-19 for good adding it's another tool in their bag as they continue to offer care.
"It will allow us to maintain our force and caring for patients who are sick but it will also help us protect our community which is why we are here in the first place," he said.