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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on Alabama, killing over 4,700 people and exhausting the state’s pool of hospital beds, a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ is now in sight in the form of a vaccine for the deadly virus, which began making its way to the country’s hospitals a couple of weeks ago.

Selma’s own Vaughan Regional Medical Center (VRMC) began offering the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine this week to local frontline healthcare workers.

According to VRMC’s Nancy Elliot, an RN and infection preventionist, the hospital received 900 doses of then vaccine and has, as of Wednesday, vaccinated 140 people.

Elliott said that not as many people are coming to VRMC for the vaccine as anticipated, but as more and more frontline healthcare workers receive the vaccine without problems, more people are coming in.

The recently retired local surgeon Dr. Charles Lett was among the healthcare workers who arrived at VRMC to get the vaccine on Friday.

Citing the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died from complications due to the virus, Lett said receiving the vaccine was critical.

“[COVID-19] has affected us all. If not someone directly in our family, then certainly someone we no. That alone should be encouragement enough for people to get this vaccine,” said Lett. “Since here is no cure for this virus, this vaccine is the best weapon we have.”

VRMC is offering the vaccine to frontline healthcare workers Tuesday-Thursday in the VRMC Tower Classroom from 7-10 a.m. and from 1-4 p.m.

Elliot said Frontline healthcare workers should arrive with their healthcare facility employee badge and an insurance card.