COVID-19 vaccines administered to Lompoc Valley Medical Center health care workers

LOMPOC Calif. - Lompoc Valley Medical Center received its first doses of the Pfizer -BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Thursday afternoon.

Employees received the vaccine based on their risk as published by the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

Vaccinations will occur for approximately five days, or until LVMC’s allocation is finished, said Chief Operations Officer Dr. Naishadh Buch in a news release.

Among the staff receiving the vaccine on Thursday were physicians, nursing staff and environmental services workers.

“People should absolutely take this vaccine,” said Dr. William Pierce, LVMC Chief of Medical Staff and general surgeon. “There will be side effects. The greater good is served if as many people as possible get this vaccine. I wanted to be right up there. It helps me feel very safe working in a hospital with COVID patients.”

Dr. Pierce said the shot was not painful. His vaccine was administered by Dr. Khawar Gul, cardiologist.

LVMC is not currently offering vaccines to the general public. The vaccine is not mandatory for LVMC staff.