Fairfax Fire And Rescue Workers Begin Receiving COVID-19 Vaccines

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel started receiving COVID-19 vaccinations Sunday, according to a social media announcement.

The fire department tweeted a photo of Fire Chief John Butler receiving his first dose.

"We are proud of the critical medical care our frontline first responders provide," read the tweet. "The vaccine provides another layer of protection for our providers and the communities they serve."

The fire department provides weekly updates on how many personnel have tested positive and recovered. As of Monday, there have been 126 positive personnel to date, and 103 have recovered. There are 10 personnel in quarantine, which doesn't include personnel with current positive results. The fire department says its stations and apparatus are fully staffed.

The Virginia Department of Health identifies EMS personnel among the second priority group for phase 1a of COVID-19 vaccinations. The first vaccines arrived at Virginia hospitals on Dec. 14 and started to be administered to health care personnel the next day. The Fairfax County Health Department received its first shipment last Wednesday for health care workers not affiliated with hospitals.

The other group in phase 1a of vaccinations, long-term care facility residents and staff, will start to be vaccinated during the week of Dec. 28 as part of a federal program with CVS Health and Walgreens.

The two available COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna require two doses. Pfizer's doses should be taken 21 days apart, and Moderna's doses should be 28 days apart.

The Virginia Department of Health now tracks vaccine doses distributed and administered. As of Monday, 41,709 doses have been given across Virginia, and no one has received their second dose yet. On a locality level, Fairfax County leads the state with 4,181 doses given. There have been 227,425 vaccine doses distributed, according to the VDH.