Victoria Fire Department Issues COVID-19 Vaccines to Employees

The following press release comes to us from the City of Victoria:

The Victoria Fire Department on Tuesday vaccinated 21 of its employees against COVID-19, and more fire department and Victoria Police Department employees will receive vaccines during clinics scheduled in the coming weeks.

“This vaccine will allow us to protect our employees as well as the people we serve,” said Battalion Chief Tim Hunter, who is coordinating the fire department’s vaccination efforts. “We’re excited to be able to do our part to help our community get back to normal.”

The fire department has received 200 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which it began administering at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. The department will host two more vaccination sessions for fire department employees and other patient transport agencies on Thursday and Saturday, and the department will begin vaccinating police department employees starting next week. All of the vaccines are being distributed on a voluntary basis.

The Moderna vaccine is administered in two doses. The Victoria Fire Department will receive additional doses of the vaccine in January so that those who have already been vaccinated can receive their second doses.

The fire department received the vaccine under the state’s tiered distribution program that prioritizes emergency service providers, health care workers treating COVID-19 patients and others with an increased risk of coming into contact with the virus. Hunter said the fire department will work with the Victoria County Public Health Department and other agencies to make the vaccine available to the general population later in the year. Fire department officials anticipate the vaccine will be available to the general public sometime in the spring.

The City of Victoria will release more information about its vaccination efforts as it becomes available. For local information about COVID-19, visit www.victoriatxoem.org or visit the Victoria County Public Health Department’s Facebook page.