FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Monday marked a historic day in the state of Indiana as the first vaccine was given at the Parkview Mirro Center for Research & Innovation. The vaccine was administered at 12:09 p.m. Parkview Health is one of five health care systems to receive the vaccine in the state.

Parkview is not limiting the vaccine to only its employees. It is vaccinating health care workers in Allen, Huntington and Whitley counties. There is a specific process that Parkview has worked through on simulators.

First someone arrives at the Mirro Center and is screened to see if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or if they have had reactions to vaccines before. After being screened, they are sent to an area to register and then move to one of the 10 designated areas to receive the vaccination. After the vaccination has been given, they will go to an observation area for 15 minutes and while there, patients schedule when they will receive the second shot.

Michelle Charles, the Vice President of Nursing Informatics says, “We have a QR code that we built that you can pick up your phone and scan that will take you to the site to schedule your second dose. The first shot gives you 50% immunity, but in order to get to 95% immunity, you have to get a second shot within 21 days.

2,000 doses of the vaccine will be given throughout this week, and another 8,000 next week. Moving forward Parkview hopes to give out 1,000 doses daily. Parkview will continue to receive vaccines throughout the coming weeks.

“There has been a lot of anxiety around the country. We have seen a lot of death. I think having a vaccine and being able to defeat the virus is very important,” Charles says.