NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Hampton Roads hospitals are still working hard to get all healthcare workers the COVID-19 vaccine, but now doses are finally flowing to first responders.
Some Newport News firefighters got their first shots and they aren’t the only department.
“It felt like, honestly, there was an end in sight,” said Newport News Fire Chief Jeffrey Johnson. He watched some of his firefighters get the first dose of the vaccine on Tuesday.
“It’s heartwarming to me to see my members sitting there getting those shots and I am thinking, this has been a long-coming thing,” Chief Johnson said.
Most firefighters are trained paramedics and respond to medical emergencies as often as they fight flames.
“We are sending our personnel into the homes of the people when we don’t know if they have COVID,” Chief Johnson said.
A spokesperson for the Virginia Hospitals and Healthcare Association said firefighters and EMS fall right into the first priority group.
“The plan all along has been that the hospitals were going to vaccinate their personnel and then work with the state to vaccinate other health care personnel,” said VHHA VP of Communications Julian Walker.
Chief Johnson said the Riverside Health System is providing their shots. He expects all 420 staff members in his department to get both doses over the next month.
“Riverside just really acknowledging quickly that we are a part of their team,” Chief Johnson said. “We do about 20,000 transports a year to their facility. They want to make sure we are safe as well.”
A spokesperson for Riverside said they are still in the process of vaccinating healthcare workers:
“Although not technically a part of Riverside, we consider EMS to be critical in successfully supporting the safety and health of our community and to the extent our supply allows, we have started offering the vaccine to them starting with Newport News and Eastern Shore EMS workers. We are working with the Virginia Department of Health to coordinate this effort and will do our best to extend this to other EMS services based on the supply the state allocates to us.
Firefighters work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and that includes holidays.
“Thanksgiving was a tough time,” Chief Johnson said. “We weren’t able to allow families to come to the fire stations and have dinner with their loved ones that are working and serving our citizens. The same things this Christmas.”
Chief Johnson hopes the vaccine gives his team more time for family.
“I feel like we can see some light at the end of the tunnel now,” Chief Johnson said.
Chesapeake Fire officials said they also got doses this week. Virginia Beach EMS Department Chief John Bianco said they will get doses next week.