A Boholana critical care nurse at a top New York City hospital was among the first people in the virus-stricken United States to get a shot of the COVID-19 vaccine outside of trials.
Jade Rulona Montecillo, who traces her roots to Calape town, was inoculated with the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE last Friday, as part of the country’s initial drive to vaccinate its doctors and healthcare workers.
Starting this week, more US hospitals including Mount Sinai Hospital where Montecillo works began receiving shipments of the two-dose coronavirus vaccine.
Mount Sinai, one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the US, is located in New York City which has recorded 24,652 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic broke out earlier this year.
“I did it for mom and dad,” said the 35-year-old nurse who has been working at Mt. Sinai for 12 years.
Montecillo’s sister Jill and mother Cynthia, are also nurses working at the St. Vincent Hospital, West Chester division which is now under the St. Joseph Medical Center.
Cynthia who is a frontliner attending to COVID-19 patients and Jill are also set to be vaccinated this week.
Jade’s father, Ondo, a retired banker, will likewise be inoculated amidst the continued rise of COVID-19 infections in New York and the rest of the US which is among the worst COVID-hit countries in the world.
Jade finished her nursing course at the St. Vincent University (School of Nursing) while Jill earned her degree at the St. John’s School of Nursing.
Their mom is a product of Southern Island School of Nursing in Cebu City.