“I’m Doing This For My Family”

Olivia Smith of Hesperia receives her second COVID-19 vaccination on Thursday, May 20, at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial. Sonya Ream, RN, administers the Moderna vaccine, Gerber Memorial’s 5,000th dose

Gerber Memorial celebrates 5,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine

 Fremont, Mich., May 21, 2021 – For Olivia Smith of Hesperia, the COVID-19 was about protecting herself and, just as importantly, her family.

 So, when she showed up at Gerber Memorial’s community vaccine clinic above the Multispecialty Clinic on Thursday, May 20, she thought she’d go in for her second shot and head home. She didn’t think she’d spend her 15 minutes of observation for any adverse effects eating cake and helping Gerber Memorial’s vaccination team celebrate a landmark occasion.

Smith was the recipient of the 5,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Gerber memorial since the hospital began vaccinating staff and community members on Dec. 23, 2020.

 “I’m doing this for my family,” Smith said. “I live at home and I have a few people in my family who have auto-immune deficiencies, so I want to make sure they’re safe.”

 Nurse Sonya Ream, RN, who administered the dose for Smith, joined her for cake during her observation, when people who have just been vaccinated are monitored for adverse side effects.

 “How did you handle the first shot?” Ream asked Smith earlier as she was preparing to vaccinate her.

 “I think I barely had any side effects at all,” Smith, 25, said.
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 The Gerber Memorial team celebrated the milestone as a show of gratitude to all the people who have been vaccinated so far – and who choose to do so in the near future.

Gerber Memorial’s vaccine team celebrate the hospital’s 5,000th COVID-19 vaccine dose with recipient Olivia Smith of Hesperia.