Portraits in a pandemic: Vaccines
Doctors, nurses, chaplains, housekeepers and other Columbia Memorial Hospital staff received vaccines on Wednesday to prevent COVID-19. Public health experts hope vaccines will be a turning point in the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Regina Mysliwiec
Dr. Regina Mysliwiec, an emergency medical physician at Columbia Memorial Hospital, was the first at the Astoria hospital vaccinated against COVID-19.
Connie Dubb
Pharmacy director Jeff Chow injects MRI technologist Connie Dubb with the vaccine.
Lisa Belanger
Lisa Belanger, an MRI technologist, waits to make sure she wouldn’t have a negative reaction to the vaccine. Belanger is excited to receive the vaccine so she can safely visit her mother, who she hasn’t seen in a year.
Allison Mattila-Gascoigne
Registered nurse Lauren Janesh vaccinates Allison Mattila-Gascoigne, a nurse practitioner in the urgent care clinic, where she said she sees virus patients almost daily.
Dr. Allison Martin
Dr. Allison Martin, a pediatrician, receives the vaccine. ‘I feel really lucky and grateful that we’re included in the process,’ she said.
Dr. Stephen Donnelly
A recently-vaccinated Dr. Stephen Donnelly, who works as an emergency medical physician, wears a shirt that reads ‘Keep your mask on. This is the way.’ The quote refers to the popular show, ‘The Mandalorian,’ while encouraging others to wear masks.
Allison Whisenhunt
Clinical social worker Allison Whisenhunt received the vaccine. ‘The biggest concern is the emergency room, that’s where we tend to have patients who are in behavioral health crisis,’ she said. ‘A lot of times, people are not willing to keep their mask on.’
Lori Blake
Columbia Memorial chaplain Lori Blake received the vaccine. She works with many high-risk patients at the hospital, at the cancer center and in hospice.
Jackie Spencer
Emergency room nurse Jackie Spencer holds fiancé Stephen Donnelly’s hand prior to receiving the vaccine.
Hailey Hoffman
Hailey Hoffman is a visual journalist for The Astorian. Contact her at 971-704-1725 or hhoffman@dailyastorian.com
