Williamson County-area first responders receive first round of COVID-19 vaccine

Williamson County-area first responders received the first of two rounds of the coronavirus vaccine Dec. 26, according to a Williamson County and Cities Health District news release.

First responders are part of the 1A vaccine distribution group designated by the Texas Department of State Health Service, per the release.

“Following the directive from State Health Commissioner John Hellerstedt, we are taking the initiative and pushing forward aggressively with administering all the vaccine doses we have received,” WCCHD Executive Director Derrick Neal said in the release.

Eligible staff members from 15 local fire departments and four long-term care facilities that were not enrolled in the federal pharmacy received a total of 121 doses of the vaccine Dec. 26, the release said. An additional 164 doses were administered Dec. 27, according the WCCHD website.

Group 1A also includes school nurses from Williamson County ISDs and those in mortuary care.

“We invite all Group 1A-eligible community members to sign up to receive the vaccine, which is the first important step in putting the pandemic behind us," Neal said.

Williamson County received its first allotment of the Moderna vaccine Dec. 24.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccines and state distribution plan, visit the DSHS website.