Photos: Pima County health-care workers get COVID-19 vaccine
- Rebecca Sasnett
- Updated
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines begin for healthcare workers in Pima County at two sites in Tucson on Dec. 17, 2020 – Banner-University Medicine North at the University of Arizona campus and Tucson Medical Center.
TMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Clifford Daigler, registered nurse, receives a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020. TMC administered 1,100 total vaccines between their two clinic sites in the first day of vaccinations, said Claudia Koreny, director of pharmacy for TMC.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Carolyn Salazar, registered nurse and certified COVID-19 vaccinator, prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarUMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Melissa Zukowski, medical director of emergency department at Banner-University Medicine Tucson, receives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Banner-University Medicine North, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarUMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, Melissa Zukowski, medical director of emergency department at Banner-University Medicine Tucson, gives a thumbs-ups to her daughter Sophia Smallwood, left, at Banner-University Medicine North, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Pamela Aronson, registered nurse and certified COVID-19 vaccinator, administers a COVID-19 vaccine at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarUMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Iris Delfakis, oncology nurse navigator for Arizona Cancer Center, looks to other nurses as she waits to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by registered nurse Cristina Torres at Banner-University Medicine North, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020. The first round of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines are given in Pima County to healthcare workers at Banner-University Medical Center and Tucson Medical Center. "I am way excited and I really believe in the science," said Delfakis. It was like a poke and that was it, added Delfakis.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarUMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Amy DeCamp, center, pediatric nurse navigator, talks to Iris Delfakis, oncology nurse navigator for Arizona Cancer Center, about Delfakis's COVID-19 vaccine card after Delfakis received the first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Pima County at Banner-University Medicine North, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Pamela Aronson, right, registered nurse and certified COVID-19 vaccinator, administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Kurt Drezdon, registered nurse, at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarUMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Registered nurse Cristina Torres, prepares critical care doctor and ICU medical director of Banner-University Medical Christian Bime's arm before administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Pima County at Banner-University Medicine North, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarUMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Amy DeCamp, pediatric nurse navigator, shows the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Banner-University Medicine North, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarUMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Steve Patalsky, left, associate director of pediatric bone-marrow transplant, goes over information about the COVID-19 vaccine with Sayea Jenabzadeh, nurse anesthetist, inside the COVID-19 vaccine observation stage at Banner-University Medicine North, 3838 N. Campbell Ave., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Mary Couzens, left, registered nurse in the outpatient hospice unit, gets instructions about where to go for her vaccine from Flo Personeus, registered nurse, at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020. "I was nervous at first but I did some research and the benefits out way the risks," said Mary Couzens, outpatient hospice unit registered nurse.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Amy Lopez, left, registered nurse in peri-operative service, and her husband Dr. Mike Lopez, anesthesiologist, talk while waiting for their 15 minutes observation period after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020. "It felt like a normal shot," said Amy Lopez. When asked if they were nervous, Dr. Mike Lopez answered "I was ready to be patient one."
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Tucson Medical Center healthcare workers wait for 15 minutes after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020. After receiving the vaccine, healthcare workers were required to wait 15 minutes to make sure they didn't have any reactions to the vaccine.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Clifford Daigler, left, registered nurse, laughs behind his mask with Pamela Aronson, registered nurse and certified COVID-19 vaccinator, after receiving a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarTMC workers get COVID-19 vaccine
Samantha Penn, pharmacist, waits in line with other healthcare workers while people get checked-in for their COVID-19 vaccination appointments at Tucson Medical Center, 5301 E. Grant Rd., in Tucson, Ariz. on Dec. 17, 2020.
Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily StarRebecca Sasnett
Photojournalist
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The Pima County Health Department today released a plan that will eventually include vaccinating up to 12,200 people per day and could be expanded to more than 16,000 per day in the near future.
Pima County will move into Phase 1B of its COVID-19 vaccination plan Friday, prioritizing people who are 75 and older, those who serve in protective service occupations as well as education and childcare providers.
Pima County residents 65 and older, who make up 80% of COVID-19 related deaths, are struggling to navigate the chaotic rollout of vaccine distribution.
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Rather than 2,200 COVID-19 vaccines to Tucson K-12 school staff this week, it's looking like Pima County will only get out about 650.
School has administered nearly 1,300 vaccinations since last week.

