LINCOLN- Nearly 5,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Nebraska on Monday. By the end of the week, the state is expected to have received 15,600 doses, as more deliveries of the vaccine are expected over time. Two of the state's largest hospital systems following delivery of doses began administering vaccines on Monday, with many other systems following Tuesday.

The state is not mandating the vaccine, however the Department of Health and Human Services is strongly urging people to be vaccinated as soon as they are able. While some have expressed worries on social media about the vaccine, proven side effects of the vaccine are similar to that of a flu shot, tens of millions of which are given each year. The Pfizer vaccine has also shown high effective rates of 90%, an outstanding number while considering the flu vaccine, which is highly effective, sits around 60%.

The state has devised a tiered strategy based on the ACIP's recommendations to distribute the vaccines to Nebraskans, with frontline healthcare workers scheduled to receive the first dose of the vaccine as early as possible. The state is currently in Phase 1A, Tier 1 of it’s multiple step plan for vaccinating Nebraskans.

Read the News Release of the vaccination plan as published by the Department of Health and Human Services HERE