Ochsner: 14,000 people vaccinated in Bayou Region in a year

Ochsner Health has given COVID-19 vaccinations to more than 14,000 people in its Bayou Region, which includes Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City, since the system administered vaccine for the first time Dec. 14, 2020.
Ochsner said in a press release that it was the first health care facility in Louisiana and one of the first in the United States.
The first vaccinations went to health care workers.
In its Bayou Regional facilities — Ochsner St. Mary, Ochsner St. Anne and Chabert Medical Center — Ochsner said it has:
—Administered 31,371 vaccine doses to eligible patients.
—Fully vaccinated 14,584 individuals.
—Provided additional protection through the administration of 2,533 booster doses.
—Vaccinated 45 children under the age of 12.
Across the system, Ochsner administered nearly 650,000 vaccine doses and hosted 1,343 community vaccination events.
“Receiving my COVID-19 vaccine alongside my colleagues was a moment that I will always remember," said Debbie Ford, chief nursing officer at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans and the first vaccine recipient in Louisiana.
“Vaccines deliver protection and they also delivered hope to those of us fighting the pandemic. The vaccine allowed me to visit my grandchildren, go to Saints games and meet with other nursing leaders from across the country. Our fight isn’t over but with a safe and effective vaccine and booster shots, we remain optimistic and hopeful for a healthy and safe future for all.”
“I am a first-time grandmother, and it feels great to hold my little man in my arms,” said Mia Yepez, RN and intensive care unit supervisor at Ochsner New Orleans. “New Year’s is going to be the hardest for me, as it’s the time of year I reflect upon the most. This year was unlike any other in my 47 years.
“ I lived with constant fear that myself or one of my loved ones would end up on my unit dying from COVID-19, but now there is hope. I would tell myself a year ago that I’m proud of you, you can do this, and everything is going to be all right.
“This past year has definitely had its ups and downs,” said Steven Lee, critical care pharmacy specialist. “Since being vaccinated, I’ve felt much safer going to work, then coming home even amid the additional COVID-19 waves we’ve experienced this past year. At home, my wife and I celebrated the birth of our first child this year!”
Louisiana has lost 14,884 lives to COVID-19, Ochsner said. As the highly contagious Omicron variant continues to spread locally and globally, it is recommended that every eligible community member get vaccinated, Ochsner said.