95-Year-Old WWII Vet Gets Vaccine At Loch Raven VA Medical Center

BALTIMORE, MD — A Purple Heart recipient who fought in World War II was the first to receive the coronavirus vaccine at the Loch Raven VA Medical Center's Community Living Center.

Murray Simon, 95, said he had no negative effects after getting the vaccine.

"Many of us here are excited to receive the vaccine, which will help us to stay alive,” Simon said.

The Maryland Department of Health reports 5,353 people have died from coronavirus statewide, where more than 255,000 people have tested positive for the virus as of Tuesday, Dec. 22.

The Loch Raven VA Medical Center is one of more than 100 sites nationwide where the Veterans Administration announced Tuesday it will be administering Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. Both require a second dose.

Maryland gave the first doses of the vaccine to front-line health care workers Dec. 14. Staff and residents of long-term care facilities are receiving the vaccines this week.

“The vaccine seems the best option to thwart the spread of the virus and to reduce the number of deaths," Simon said. “No side effects, and I’m already scheduled for the second dose.”

Simon, who spent 30 months in Europe during World War II and six years in the Army Reserve, was a machine gunner and radio operator.

He became a middle school social studies teacher, then went on to earn his Ph.D. and work as a dean at a community college.

See Also:

• 5 Health-Care Workers In Maryland Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
• Moderna Begins Shipping 100K COVID-19 Vaccines To Maryland