DETROIT — As a part of McLaren Health Care (McLaren), the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute began the process of immunizing its health care workers against COVID-19 today.

“Our health care heroes have been courageously battling each wave of this virus for nearly a year,” said Dr. Justin Klamerus, president, Karmanos Cancer Hospital and Network. “Now it is time we take the final fight to COVID-19.”

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, which began being distributed to hospitals last weekend. McLaren is expecting to receive additional quantities over the next few weeks, including from other vaccine producers.

“This vaccine is a tremendously important resource for all of us as we work to end the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dr. Jeffrey Zonder, leader of the Multiple Myeloma Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos Cancer Institute, who will be among the initial health care workers to receive the vaccine. “We are turning a corner in the fight against COVID and it is a privilege to be among the first to be vaccinated. Doing so protects not just me, but my patients, my colleagues and my family as well.”

McLaren Health Care hospitals, outpatient clinics and other subsidiaries surveyed their team members, medical staffs and contract workers’ interest in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Many respondents across the McLaren system indicated they are willing to receive the COVID-19 now or in the future.

McLaren then used that data and information from the vaccine producers to create a plan to immunize its health care workers. It is expected to take several weeks to immunize the health care workers affiliated with McLaren who indicated they want the vaccine due to the logistics of administering the shot, minimizing the number of caregivers who may experience side effects at one time, and the availability of doses from the pharmaceutical manufacturers. McLaren Health Care and Walgreens have also launched an innovative partnership where certain McLaren team members authorized to receive the vaccine in the initial distribution will be able to receive their vaccination at a nearby Walgreens store. The collaboration will expedite the immunization of McLaren team members and enhance safety by minimizing the number of team members required to go inside the hospital to receive their vaccinations.

“Walgreens is very proud to collaborate with McLaren on this historic milestone to begin administering Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to the true heroes who are on the frontlines of battling COVID-19. This is an incredibly important step in an unprecedented effort to allow our nation to emerge from this pandemic,” said John Standley, president, Walgreens.