The Queens nurse who bravely rolled up her sleeve for the nation’s first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine shot was honored on Friday by President Biden — and could have her scrubs despatched to the Smithsonian.
Biden offered Sandra Lindsay, an immigrant from Jamaica, with a framed “Outstanding American By Choice” award from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Lindsay worse a vibrant pink swimsuit to the White House East Room as Biden introduced that her hospital scrubs and COVID-19 vaccination card will go on show on the Smithsonian Museum of American History.
“Sandra immigrated to Queens, New York, from Jamaica when she was 18 years old. Over the past, and I don’t believe this, 30 years — she doesn’t look 30 years old — she’s pursued her dream of becoming a nurse to allow her to do what she wanted to do the most: give back to her new country,” Biden mentioned.
President Joe Biden honors Sandra Lindsay, a crucial care nurse who was the first particular person within the US to get the COVID-19 vaccine.REUTERS
Lindsay, director of nursing for crucial care at Northwell Health in Queens, stoically obtained her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Dec. 14 — placing a face on the early wave of vaccine distribution within the US. She obtained her second dose on Jan. 4.
“I feel like I’ve completed kind of the marathon, I’ve closed the loop. I know we’re not out of the woods yet, we don’t have that herd immunity yet, but the burden feels definitely much lighter today,” she mentioned after being totally vaccinated.
As of Friday, 66.8 p.c of US adults have had at the very least one vaccine shot, based on CDC knowledge.
Biden honored Lindsay as he presided over a ceremony granting citizenship to a various group of immigrants to have a good time the Fourth of July vacation weekend.
“She earned a bachelor’s degree. Then a master’s degree. Then a doctorate degree. And her citizenship. And now she’s director of nursing for critical care at a hospital on Long Island,” Biden mentioned.
Sandra Lindsay moved to the US from Jamaica, grew to become an American citizen and at present serves as director of nursing for crucial care at Northwell Health in QueensREUTERS
“During the height of the pandemic, she poured her heart and soul into her work to help patients fight for their lives and to keep her fellow nurses safe.”
Biden famous that along with caring for sufferers, Lindsay suffered the lack of members of the family.
“With a grandson at home, prematurely, she did what she had to do. She kept her distance and kept him safe. He is safe. But she lost an aunt and uncle to the virus,” Biden mentioned.
“But in her pain, she didn’t lose hope. When the time came, she was the first person in America to get fully vaccinated outside of clinical trials. She can now hug her grandson. She’s out there making sure her patients and folks in her community are getting vaccinated so they can get back to their lives and their loved ones.”
The president repeated his often-told flattery for nurses, saying, “Sandra, if there are any angels in heaven as I told you, having spent a lot of time in the ICU, they are all nurses, male and female. Doctors let you live, nurses make you want to live.”
Biden mentioned that Lindsay’s COVID-19 vaccination card, hospital scrubs and the badge she wore on Dec. 14 “will be included in the Smithsonian’s National Museum American history exhibit on COVID-19.” The DC museum is at present open to guests in the event that they ebook a free timed-entry appointment.
