On the morning of December 14, 2020, NYU Langone received its first shipment of the new Pfizer–BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at Tisch Hospital, and by that afternoon the first dose was administered to intensive care unit nurse Tara Easter.

In accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, priority is being  given to people who work directly with patients with COVID-19 or who are at greatest risk for exposure to COVID-19.

“It’s a testament to the true ingenuity of the human spirit, not only to get this vaccine less than a year after this virus became known to the world, but also a testament to these healthcare heroes who are putting everyone else above themselves. Really true, measured optimism here at NYU Langone,” ABC News correspondent Erielle Reshef says.

Watch more from ABC News.