Coronavirus: Jacksonville first responders could soon get COVID-19 vaccine

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confirmed they are in the planning stages to offer a vaccine to their employees.

Neither agency has a date for when vaccinations will start.

Action News Jax obtained a letter sent to JFRD employees which explained in part that the agency will receive “The Moderna Covid-19 vaccine”, and “The vaccine should be in Jacksonville for distribution to our personnel soon.”

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JFRD confirmed a survey is being conducted right now to gauge who will get the vaccine.

There is a central location where JFRD employees will receive the vaccine. Final details about vaccinations are still being worked on with JFRD’s COVID-19 immunization incident management team.

JSO said all sworn officers, corrections officers, dispatchers and civilians will get the vaccine, but there is no confirmed delivery date.

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JSO’s full statement:

“JSO is working directly with the City of Jacksonville Emergency Operations Center on the logistics for receiving and distributing the COVID-19 vaccinations. We have placed an order that would be sufficient to offer the vaccine to all JSO employees. This preventative effort is focused on securing the necessary adequate support for the essential operations of the agency. Not only will all sworn and corrections members receive the vaccine, but also all dispatch, courthouse, and civilians as well. At this time, there is no delivery date confirmed.”

While first responders are high on the list to get a vaccine, Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news conference Tuesday he wants to focus on the elderly population next.

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