Group of frontline workers at Beaumont get first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Michigan

(FOX 2) - Tuesday morning Beaumont hospital was delivered 975 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine - and just a few hours later, the first of the high-priority group were administered the dose.

"Those are the ones that take care of the most COVID patients in our critical units. Intensive care units, COVID floors, the emergency departments," said Dr. Jeffrey Fischgrund, chief of clinical care programs at Beaumont Health. 

And it's not just the doctors and nurses who are in the priority group. Everyone that touches a COVID patient would be deemed a high priority. For Beaumont Health, that's about 11,000 people. 

So by a lottery, only about 10% received the first dose. A second dose has been scheduled in a few weeks. 

"I'm definitely worried to go to work every day," said Pamela Rose, a registered nurse on a COVID floor at Beaumont in Farmington Hills. She says the vaccine couldn't have come at a better time. 

"Patients are scared, worried. Patients are dying alone," Rose said.

"Either almost, you get the virus or you get the vaccine. So I'm choosing to get the vaccine," said Dr. Ghadi Ghorayeb, who works with internal medicine for COVID patients. 

Beaumont officials say roughly 25% of all beds at Troy Beaumont currently have COVID patients in them, and 10% of those are on a ventilator. 

"The biggest thing I'm worried about, honestly, is people not taking the vaccine," said Dr. Fischgrund.

Beaumont officials say more vaccines are needed. A lot more. And even though another shipment is expected this week, the amount is not known yet. 

"It's going to take us months to vaccinate everybody. In the meantime, you got to stay on high alert. We need this. Social distancing and masks work," Dr. Fischgrund said.