Houston-area doctors share their COVID-19 vaccine experiences
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A monumental effort is underway right now in Texas to vaccinate frontline healthcare workers, the very people who've helped us get through this pandemic.
Gov. Greg Abbott said by the end of this week, 224,000 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine will be on the ground in the state.
Some of those vaccines will be going to doctors, nurses and workers in southeast Texas.
RELATED: More Texans say they're likely to get COVID-19 vaccine, study finds
ABC13 reporter Steve Campion spoke with some of the first people to receive the vaccines, including Dr. Jill Weatherhead with Baylor College of Medicine. She received her first dose on Wednesday.
"The hope that was there. The hope that was around me with everybody else that was there getting their vaccines was just an incredible moment. Something I will certainly remember for a long time," said Weatherhead in an interview with Campion Thursday afternoon. "Mild soreness. Really kind of like, kind of what it feels like to get a Tetanus shot. By this morning, the pain and soreness was all gone. I had no systemic symptoms. No fever, fatigue, headache or anything else. I feel completely back to normal, and even that soreness in the arm is gone."
Dr. Neil Wingkun works an emergency room physician with Houston Methodist Hospital. He received his first dose of the vaccine on Thursday afternoon.
"I'm actually pretty excited. This whole year has been a hard time for all of us, especially in the emergency room. We've seen a lot of patients who've been having COVID and have been experiencing a fair amount of illness," said Wingkun. "The exciting part of this vaccine is that it has come fairly soon."
SEE MORE: Houston health care workers on getting COVID-19 vaccine, 'it's like Christmas morning'
Wingkun shared video with Eyewitness News of him receiving the vaccine. He also sent us an update on Friday about his experience.
"So far, it's great," said Wingkun. "I effectively have no symptoms. I have a little bit of soreness at the injection site, which is expected. No fevers or any other flu-like illness for me. Today is pretty much a normal day. Pretty happy with the results so far."
