December 2020
Armed Forces Retirement Home Communicator Gulfport, MS & Washington, DC VOLUME XVII NUMBER 12 DECEMBER 31, 2020 AFRH-WASHINGTON AFRH residents receive COVID-19 vaccinations D.C., Gulfport campuses prioritized by DoD for protection from virus By Christopher Kelly | AFRH Public Affairs Officer Photos by Carolyn Haug and Becki L. Zschiedrich Just days after federal regulators authorized emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, AFRH residents, staff and contractors received some of the first inoculations in the United States. At the direction of the Department of Defense (DoD), on Monday, December 21, medical personnel from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. began administering the vaccines at AFRH-Washington (W), D.C., while medical personnel from Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. did the same at AFRH-Gulfport (G), Miss. At AFRH-W, Chief Executive Officer Stephen T. Rippe received the first vaccination – and served as a reminder to our community that the inoculation is safe, effective and the right thing to do. “The fact that our residents, staff and contractors are getting vaccinated is a wonderful step forward,” he said. “And we are really thankful to DoD for giving us this support for getting the vaccine. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated.” At AFRH-Washington, the first vaccinated residents were both World War II veterans. Norma Rambow, 97, said it was a “privilege and an opportunity” to take part, and Rafael Lopez, 93, said it “went real well – I’m glad I got it!” At AFRH-Gulfport U.S. Air Force veteran Larry McAnally said, “I’m glad to get it.
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