Coronavirus

COVID-19 vaccine arrives in La Crosse

Published

3 years ago

December 21, 2020

The COVID-19 vaccine arrives at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse on Dec. 21, 2020. (PHOTO: @GundersenHealth on Facebook)

The COVID-19 vaccine arrived at La Crosse’s two hospitals Monday. Both Gundersen Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System received their first doses of vaccine.

Mayo staffers began to get their shots shortly after delivery, while Gundersen has scheduled its first vaccinations for Tuesday.

Frontline health care workers are the first to get doses, and plans are to give the vaccine next to older patients at risk, along with police, firefighters, and teachers.

Gundersen CEO Dr. Scott Rathgaber believes the Pfizer vaccine will be effective in shortening the pandemic.

“This is a vaccine that has come to us with a lot of science and a lot of rigor,” said Rathgaber. “We feel very confident that it is the right bullet to fight the pandemic.”

Mayo vice-president Dr. Paul Mueller calls the vaccine “highly effective and safe,” and a “welcomed turning point” in fighting the coronavirus.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.