LANSING, Mich. — Sparrow Health System celebrated a major milestone in Lansing Friday as they administered their 100,000th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Not only was it a big moment for the health system, and Lansing as a whole, it was a full circle moment for Abigail Wheeler to be able to administer the vaccine and celebrate 100,000 doses just four months after she received the very first dose Sparrow administered.
“It’s kind of like coming around full circle now,” Wheeler said. “It’s amazing to think that it was December back when I got my vaccine and now here we are at the end of April.”
Wheeler is a registered nurse working in the COVID unit at Sparrow main Lansing hospital. Being able to see the joy or relief patients feel after a vaccination is a change of pace from her day-to-day duties.
“Being in the vaccine clinic today, it’s incredible. Everyone is excited. Everyone is happy to be here. We’re all looking for this end … and then we see the very real side where people are dying. We’re losing mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, you know people that are important to somebody. So to see this side is a breath of fresh air honestly,” Wheeler said.
The recipient of the 100,000th dose was 17-year-old Isaiah Torok, who said he’s been eager to get vaccinated since before a vaccine even existed.
“People had been talking about a vaccine but we obviously didn’t know when it was going to be here, that’s probably when I wanted to get it,” Torok said.
He says it’s still just a first step towards some of the things he misses the most.
“We’ve come a long way to this point. A lot of waiting. There was a lot of things I couldn’t do this year that I’m looking forward to doing in the future now,” Torok said.
Spending his senior year of high school in a pandemic was a shock to his system as he watched sporting events get canceled and his laptop become his campus but the relief of getting vaccinated also has the Torok excited for what’s next.
“I want to go to college, be able to socialize normally and everything like that. Public events. I miss going to games you know baseball, basketball, football, stuff like that with my family,” Torok said.
The Sparrow Frandor Vaccination Center is accepting all walk-ins for COVID-19 vaccinations, no appointment necessary.
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