The day after Clark County’s first vaccination was administered, Dr. Keren Rosenblum received a surprising text message.
Rosenblum, an OB-GYN with Vancouver Clinic who takes calls in hospitals, heard from a colleague who told her PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center was accepting walk-ins from those who fell into the first phase of Washington’s vaccination plan.
Rosenblum immediately jetted over to PeaceHealth Southwest, and speed walked into the hospital.
“I was nervous with excitement,” Rosenblum said. “I was so ready to get in the building.”
Once Rosenblum entered the vaccination area, she noticed that everyone had a hopeful countenance. The atmosphere was positive in a way that rarely exists during the pandemic.
“It was a really emotional experience,” Rosenblum said.
In early January, Rosenblum received her second dose of the vaccine, which offers around 95 percent effectiveness in curbing COVID-19 symptoms.
Rosenblum is one of 7,080 Clark County residents to have received full vaccination, according to state Department of Health data. That puts her in a rare category — only 1.45 percent of residents are fully vaccinated.
Since Rosenblum feels lucky to have been at the front of the line, she is volunteering at Vancouver Clinic vaccination clinics, helping others get protected.
Rosenblum said she “feels a responsibility to talk to people who have questions and concerns.” Mild arm soreness was the only side effect she experienced. Rosenblum said she trusts the vaccine, and she said she has a profound appreciation for the science and resources that created it.
“The fact that it was fast doesn’t mean we skipped steps,” Rosenblum said. “It’s just that we have more resources now.”
Tiffany Mendez, who works for a health care company, drove from Vancouver to Federal Way to receive her vaccination. Mendez said she has been a homebody ever since the pandemic began.
Her dog has loved having her around, but Mendez, who will receive her second dose next week, is excited to leave the house more often.
“I want to get out there in the real world again,” Mendez said.
Vancouver resident and Adventist Health registered nurse Rachel Ferraris completed the vaccination process last month. Ferraris is in a unique position; she spent part of the pandemic caring for COVID-19 patients, and is now more than three months pregnant.
Ferraris stopped working directly with coronavirus patients after becoming pregnant, but she can still easily recall how devastating COVID-19 is. Ferraris remembers one 20-year-old coronavirus patient who needed help walking from her bed to the bathroom.
She heavily researched the vaccine before getting it, and decided it was safe and effective. Ferraris said getting infected could create health complications for herself and the child she’s carrying.
Fully vaccinated, she now has peace of mind.
“For me, it’s like a light at the end of the tunnel,” Ferraris said.
Rosenblum, who is raising three kids with her husband, feels similarly. She says it’s like a weight has been lifted off of her.
“I have less anxiety coming home to my family,” she said. “I do feel like I’m starting to breathe more.”
