Coraopolis, Pennsylvania -- The 171st Air Refueling Wing supported COVID vaccination efforts at the installation and within the community.
More than half of all airmen at the 171st are either vaccinated or in progress for their COVID vaccine. Airmen from the medical squadron vaccinated service members at the installation and went into nursing care facilities to help vaccinate within the local community.
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there about what’s happening, but because of the vaccine we are becoming a stronger, healthier force,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Sullivan, a medical administrative officer of the 171st Medical Group.
Each vial of a COVID vaccination has enough solution inside to vaccinate 10 people. The 171st made sure they scheduled enough people every time.
“We united with other units to ensure no vaccines were wasted. We did not want to waste a single dose,” said Sullivan.
Part of the Medical Squadron’s job was making sure people had all the information available before making the decision to vaccinate.
“Our medical folks did a great job,” said Senior Master Sgt. Paul Webster, an airman at the 171st. “They provided a ton of information, and I think it allowed everybody to make an informed decision.”
In addition to vaccinating service members, the 171st Medical Squadron went into the community to vaccinate local community members in nursing care facilities.
“Medics (from the 171st) went out in a nursing assistant capacity to assist not only with general medical issues but also to provide immunizations to people,” said Sullivan.
Other members from the 171st Force Support Squadron went into nursing care facilities to provide assistance with daily care of our local community.
“Services went into nursing homes to help out anyway they could. They did laundry, helped in the kitchen —all kinds of clean-up work,” said Sullivan.
The 171st ARW continues to vaccinate service members and remains committed to assisting community members throughout all crises and remain ready to provide a full-spectrum of support.