Manhattan Beach Man Among First To Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — As an emergency room physician for 20 years in the South Bay, Manhattan Beach resident Mike Tarnay has seen plenty — but nothing like COVID-19. Even in a part of Los Angeles County — the South Bay — which has predominantly experienced fewer COVID-19 diagnoses, the current onslaught in the emergency room where he works is beyond hectic, it's life-threatening to all the personnel who come in contact with COVID-19 patients.

But doctors and nurses like Tarnay don't get dramatic, they just dig in and do their jobs. That's the way it's been ever since the pandemic first broke — sure, they're concerned for their family members and themselves but such is the turf they work, notes Nina Tarnay, Mike's wife.

So, while the arrival of a vaccine for COVID-19, whose death toll in Los Angeles County keeps mounting, is a salve for the hospital personnel who work on the front lines tending to patients with COVID-19 or cleaning their rooms, it's taken in stride — until you gather with other medical professionals and get the vaccine.

"It struck me when speaking to nurses how some even broke down in tears," noted Mike, "as they were grateful to be on the road to keeping their family safe. It has been a big unspoken burden about the worry and guilt that all of us have when we come home and the concern of exposing our families."

Mike, an ER doctor at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, too, felt "a bit of a relief" when he received his first dose of the vaccine last Friday [Dec. 18]. But, he, too, like some Americans, was hesitant. "I originally had some reservations about the vaccine," he said, "because side effects have only been studied two months post vaccine. However, after working this last week and seeing the huge surge and the morbidity of even young people associated with COVID, I was glad to get it."

Nina, who says Mike [and others in his field], tends to be "stoic," has lived daily with a man who works 12 hours, tending to patients in need of immediate medical attention, "quietly shouldering the burden" during this pandemic, the proportions of which are taxing the health care systems that treat the most ill and injured patients, helping them stay alive to recover and heal.

She has spoken out, on social media and in phone calls to the Manhattan Beach City Council, putting words to her firsthand experience with COVID-19 and the importance of wearing face masks, socially distancing and remaining vigilant against what's been a relentless killer.

Mike summed it up this way, "I am still amazed and disappointed at the lack of unity in following a simple message of wearing a mask and prevention and the importance of a vaccine."

Here are some stats from Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center, provided by Communications Director Andrew Werts:

"As of 12/16, we have 113 COVID-19 positive patients at Providence Little Company of Mary Torrance and 31 in San Pedro. In mid-April we had 86, so we are well above our highest total during this pandemic.

All our Providence hospitals are seeing escalating numbers of patients with COVID. Today [Thursday, Dec. 17], we have more than 1,100 patients across our region’s 11 hospitals compared to:

~250 in March

~330 in May

~420 in July

At this point, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance is managing well, thanks to our incredible nurse and support teams across the hospital. As needed, we are able to convert rooms for ICU use as needed; we shift staff from slower departments to the busier areas and, because we are part of a larger organization, we will have access to temporary contract nursing if that becomes necessary. Fortunately, we have the PPE we need, and should supplies run low, we share among our sister hospitals. We are, however, concerned that this will get worse before it gets better and urge the public to please follow all the recommended safety guidelines."

One day later, Werts wrote in an email when asked for an update, "What I can tell you is that approximately 2 months ago we only had 8 cases at LCM Torrance — today we have 120. Please continue to follow the stay at home order and wear a mask."