Darcel Spragley, a registered nurse at Kenner Army Health Clinic, administers the first COVID-19 vaccination on Fort Lee to Neal Hudgens, a captain with the post’s Fire and Emergency Services, at the post's Clarke Fitness Center Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. The clinic's commander says she hopes to have the first wave of the vaccines administered by the end of the month.

Kenner Army Health Clinic began administering the shots Monday morning, and the captain with Fort Lee Fire and Emergency Services was first in line to receive it.

"It didn't hurt a bit," Hudgins said by phone from the Clarke Fitness Center on post. "The flu shot hurt a lot worse,"

The first wave of vaccinations began at 8 a.m. Monday. Like all other Defense Department installations, Fort Lee is using the Moderna vaccine to treat its personnel and beneficiaries.

The fact that it was happening as quickly as it did came as a pleasant surprise to post officials, who found out last Wednesday the vaccines were on their way and due to arrive the following day.

"I was excited," Lt. Col. Nichelle Johnson, the clinic's commander, said about hearing the news. "I had hoped it would be somewhere in the December time frame when we would get it, but when that didn't happen, I began hoping for January." 

More: Fort Lee's Kenner Clinic receives first shipment of COVID vaccines. The shots begin Monday.

Hudgins said he had hoped to get the vaccination on the first day it became available, and he was even more surprised to see he was the first in line. As it turned out, he had a very personal reason for getting the shot, not just because it was necessary for his job. His 15-year-old daughter contracted COVID 45 days ago, and she had a rough go with it for more than two weeks.

"She had five really bad days," Hudgins said softly, adding that she has since recovered.

Johnson, the clinic's commander, said she will get the vaccine Wednesday, the same day Fort Lee post commander Maj. Gen. Rodney D. Fogg is scheduled to receive it. She said Kenner planned to have everyone on post eligible to receive the vaccine get their first doses by the end of the month.

Moderna was the second  pharmaceutical company, following Pfizer, to have a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The vaccine actually includes two injections spaced 30 days apart. By spring, Johnson estimated, the entire Fort Lee community will have completed the vaccine cycle.

Another shipment of the vaccine is expected soon, Johnson said. More will come to replenish as needed until everyone is vaccinated.