Feeling the presence of her late father, Krystal Meloche became the first person in Windsor-Essex to receive the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19.
She was the first of seven long-term care and retirement home workers to get the shot at the Sportsplex at St. Clair College Tuesday morning. Each was nominated by their colleagues at their facilities.
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For Meloche, nominated by the staff at Seasons in Belle River, the motivation to get the vaccine was both professional and deeply personal. Her father, George Meloche, was one of the 102 people in the region who have died of the virus. Other family members have contracted the virus too, and some continue to feel symptoms.
George spent 16 days on a ventilator before his family made the painful decision to remove life support. He died last spring.
"I firmly feel that he would be so proud of me right now," said an emotional Meloche following her inoculation. "I know what he went through and the heartache that we're all going through, and I know he is with me right now."
Her father would have turned 74 last week.
"Seeing how quickly he deteriorated, I don't want anybody to ever experience what we have," said Meloche stressing her desire all residents get the shot once it is available.
Windsor Regional Hospital began preparing for the rollout of the local vaccine program weeks ago when it purchased freezers capable of keeping the medicine at -80 C. Under a heavy security presence, it arrived at the Sportsplex on Monday.
WRH Communications Officer Steve Erwin told reporters the region anticipates enough vaccine in the first round to provide close to 2,000 people. That includes a follow-up booster shot.
The first stage of the local rollout is expected to take several days.
Erwin said it is too premature to say when the next batch will arrive in Windsor-Essex.
