The city of Dallas has said it hopes first responders will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the first wave of shipments but it is unclear if that will be possible.
“Health safety workers should go before first responders because they deal with critical care patients every day,” Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata said.
Mata said he understood why health care workers are first in line but said he believes the need among first responders is also urgent.
“Every night I wonder if my phone is going to ring of an officer who has been killed in the line of duty and now I wonder if it is going to ring and not just an officer has been infected but fallen to the virus,” Mata said.
Last month, Dallas police Sgt. Bronc McCoy died due to complications of COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, hundreds of Dallas police officers and members of Dallas Fire-Rescue have been infected.
“I do believe the vaccine is our way out of this pandemic,” Dallas Fire-Rescue Medical Director Dr. S. Marshal Isaacs said. “We are all in this together and we will get out of this together.”
Due to intense demand and unclear supply, it is not known when first responders will begin to receive the vaccine.
