The first COVID-19 shots were administered by U.S. hospitals Monday, the initial step in a historic drive to immunize millions of people this week as the Pfizer Inc. vaccine is distributed nationwide.
In New York, an early epicenter of the U.S. crisis, critical-care nurse Sandra Lindsay received the first shot in the state at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens. Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined the event via video from his office in Albany, thanking the nurse for her work throughout the pandemic.
"I believe this is the weapon that will win the war,” said Cuomo, who had asked an advisory group to independently review the safety of COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration.