CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Miller Middle School nurse Christina Malcom receives a COVID-19 vaccine Thursday at McFarland Clinic.

All over the country, healthcare personnel are receiving the first round of COVID-19 vaccinations, and Marshalltown Schools Health Services staff joined those ranks on Thursday.

School nurses and health aides received their first dose of the vaccine at McFarland Clinic, and all will get a second dose after four weeks. As the vaccine becomes available to more people in the future, the Health Services staff said they encourage those who are able to get vaccinated.

“It’s important for us to not only protect ourselves, but to protect the people around us,” Miller Middle School nurse Christina Malcom said.

Health aide Katy Stonner, who works alongside Malcom at Miller, agreed that getting vaccinated will not only keep her safe, but will help keep her loved ones safe as well.

“It’s about safety and helping others,” she said.

Malcom, Stonner, and other MCSD Health Services staff members said their vaccination experiences on Thursday were quick and smooth.

“I feel like this shot went even better than the flu shot,” Malcom said. “This one was easy!”