ROCHESTER, N.Y. — One of the first batches of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine came to Rochester on Tuesday.

The vials of vaccine were delivered by FedEx air transport at the Frederick Douglass Airport from Pfizer's factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Rochester Regional Health is scheduled to distribute vaccinations at three of its facilities.

Rochester General Hospital, Unity Health, and Newark Wayne Community Hospital will all receive doses of the vaccine.

At RGH, it was the day they’ve been waiting for. ED clinical nurse leader Christian Gardner is usually on the other end of the needle.

"It’s literally one second. It’s a little poke," Gardner said. 

On Tuesday he was first in line to receive the vaccine, as the vaccinations of front-line health care workers at the hospital got underway.

"I think that it’s an amazing achievement for science. I think that it’s amazing that it’s available to use," he said.

For ED personnel who’ve dealt with so much, this means a lot. One-third of the patients at Rochester General are there with COVID-19, nearly 200 of them as of Tuesday morning.

"I didn't think I was going to get it today," said nurse Ajiah Cook.

As those who work closest with the patients who are most at risk hope they’re beginning to turn the corner on the pandemic.

"I’m just ready for COVID to go away. I’m ready for life to go back to normal," Cook said.