TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- Two of the North Mississippi Medical Center’s top administrators got their vaccinations on Tuesday.

Chief Executive Officer Shane Spees and Chief Executive Medical Officer Dr. Jeremy Blanchard each received the first shot of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

“I feel excited,” Spees said.

“Personally, receiving the vaccine, I think is a touch of hope in my life,” Blanchard said.

Blanchard said he’s honored to receive it after the frontline caregivers received it.

“Because as a leader it’s essential to recognize those who are really giving their love, life, and effort to care for our community,” Blanchard said.

“It’s the one tool that can get us back to normal, or what I see it as, freedom to go and live our lives as we lived it before COVID,” Spees said.

They added the shot was nearly painless, over in a matter of seconds.

Looking forward, Blanchard and Spees said they are hopeful people will grow to trust the coronavirus vaccine. Spees said he is hopeful life can continue as it was before the pandemic soon.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll have a lot of people take it very quickly as soon as it’s offered,” Spees said.

Blanchard said there will still be challenges to come in the future, but one major thing he has right now... is hope.

“I’m hopeful that the vaccine will help us face those in a way that really brings out the genuine Mississippian community of caring for each other and being together again,” Blanchard said.

Spees said we don’t know yet how long the vaccine will last, but actually having a tool now to combat this virus and save lives is a major step toward ending this pandemic.

Spees added he and Blanchard are supposed to come back in 21 days for the second and final shot of the Pfizer vaccine.