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The Signature
NAS SIGONELLA RECEIVES COVID-19 VACCINE N
aval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella received the first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine Jan. 8 as part of the Department of Defense’s effort to protect its personnel against the virus. The vaccine, developed by the American pharmaceutical company Moderna and the National Institutes of Health, was approved in late December by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). The vaccine requires two doses and will be administered on a voluntary basis utilizing a tiered approach which began Jan. 9. “Vaccines are an important weapon of choice in the public health arsenal against some infectious diseases,” said Capt. Denise Gechas, U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella Commanding Officer. “Throughout the 19th century, vaccines have protected us from several dangerous, and often deadly, diseases such as polio and smallpox. So, it is no surprise to see a vaccine come to the rescue again. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken control of the entire world and it is such a relief to see science and technology come together to take some of it back. I am hopeful that our darkest days of this pandemic are behind us.” While there will be a limited supply of the COVID-19 vaccine initially, the DoD is administering the vaccine using a phased approach. Vaccination distribution prioritization within DoD will be consistent with data-driven Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for national prioritization. For NAS Sigonella, this means that front-line medical staff and security forces were offered
