She was the first American to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Now, the Presidential Medal of Freedom winner is getting a promotion.
On December 14, 2020, Sandra Lindsay, RN volunteered to become the first American vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. According to a statement from Northwell Health, as a woman of color and proud Jamaican immigrant, Lindsay’s message also struck an authentic tone with communities of color and Caribbean peoples alike.
Her ID badge and scrubs reside at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. And for her community health efforts, President Joe Biden awarded Lindsay with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House ceremony in July.
After 29 years in nursing, most recently serving as director of nursing critical care at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center in New Hyde Park, Lindsay was made vice president of public health advocacy by Northwell Health.
“I’m grateful for Sandra’s willingness to serve as an example for her own team members as the first person at Northwell to get vaccinated and then to continue to advocate for vaccines — and vaccine equity — at every turn, including at the United Nations and the White House,” said Michael Dowling, president and CEO at Northwell. “It’s clear Sandra is destined to serve as a public health advocate and excited to elevate her to this role.”
Lindsay emigrated to the United States from Jamaica in 1986, graduated from Borough of Manhattan Community College in 1993 as valedictorian of her nursing program and joined Lenox Hill Hospital one year later as an oncology nurse.
While continuing her education, she served as a critical care nurse manager at Lenox Hill before transitioning to LIJ.
When the pandemic struck New York State in March 2020, Queens quickly became the epicenter and according to Northwell, no hospital treated more cases than LIJ. She oversaw expansion of the hospital’s intensive care unit capacity by 212 percent to care for critically ill Covid-19 patients.
Lindsay saw the opportunity to get vaccinated nine months later as a game-changer, so she volunteered to be the first at Northwell. But, by a quirk of timing, Lindsay was acknowledged as the first person in the U.S. to receive the Pfizer vaccine — an internationally-celebrated turning point in the deadly pandemic.
Her latest appointment is a continuation of her evolution from frontline clinician to spokesperson and health advocate.
“I plan to work collaboratively with my colleagues to positively influence social and health issues that are priorities for our communities in New York, throughout the U.S. and globally,” said Lindsay. “I chose a career in health care because I believe in raising the health of everyone. I plan to advance the mission at Northwell Health of compassionate and equitable care.”
More about Sandra Lindsay, RN:
- President Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Lindsay for becoming the first American to receive an approved Covid-19 vaccine and for her continued advocacy for public health equity.
- Lindsay served as grand marshal of New York City’s Healthcare Heroes Parade in 2021 and grand marshal of NYC’s African American Day Parade in September. She participated in the 2020 New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square, President Biden’s 2021 Inaugural and gave the commencement address at Lehman College in the Bronx in May.
- She has been awarded the 2021 Outstanding Americans by Choice recognition from the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, the 2021 Robert Nesta Marley Humanitarian Award, the American Nurses Association’s 2021 President Award and named USA Today Woman of the Year in March. In August, the Jamaican native who helped organize a shipment of Covid relief supplies to the island nation received the Order of Distinction/Commander Class as an outstanding ambassador of Jamaica.