More than 1,200 Pennsylvanians have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with additional 97,500 doses expected to arrive this week, writes Joe Brandt for NBC 10.

So far, sixteen hospitals in the Commonwealth have received shipments of the Pfizer vaccine and have started administering it to their staff. Another 71 hospitals are currently waiting for their shipments to arrive.

Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine emphasized that this is just the beginning of the vaccination process and that mass vaccination is months away.

She urged residents to stay safe and to avoid holding holiday gatherings this year to prevent an even bigger wave of hospitalizations than is currently happening.

“We absolutely cannot afford to overwhelm our hospitals any further,” she said. “The mitigation efforts we have in place are absolutely needed to get through this very challenging time.”

There is hope that the Moderna vaccine could speed up the vaccination process if the company receives emergency authorization from the FDA.

The Moderna vaccine is easier to transport and could reach hospitals in rural areas that cannot get the Pfizer vaccine.

Read more about the COVID-19 vaccine at NBC 10 by clicking here.