Philadelphia Fire Department paramedics, EMTs receive COVID-19 vaccine

PHILADELPHIA - Firefighters, paramedics and EMTs from the Philadelphia Fire Department who are working on the front lines of the pandemic will receive the first of a two-dose coronavirus vaccination on Wednesday morning. 

Emergency medical responders will be inoculated with the Moderna vaccine beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Philadelphia Fire Department headquarters in Old City. 

"Philadelphia is currently receiving very limited quantaties of vaccine so the fire department is neccesarrily prioritizing the women and men who are on the front lines of this ongoing pandemic providing emergency medical care in every neighborhood in out city," Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said. 

The department has had more than 80 people vaccinated over the past week, by Thiel's estimation. He continued to stress the importance of maintaining social distance and following health mitigation even after receiving the first dose.

Thiel said due to the limited number of doses he has not been vaccinated "simply because it is not my turn." As more dose become available to frontline workers, Thiel said he is "very excited" to get vaccinated in later rounds.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley painted a grim outlook on the city's future as the coronavirus pandemic rages on and vaccine rollout continues.

During a response briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Farley claimed that at the current rate, it could take another 12 months to vaccinate everyone in Philadelphia.

In January, Philadelphia expects to receive just under 20,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines on a weekly basis.

Dr. Farley insists the issue regarding the number of doses is not unique to Philadelphia.

MORE: Health commissioner says it could take another 12 months to vaccinate population of Philadelphia

"We're getting the same per capita as every other place in the country. There's not enough doses to go around the country," he said.

Of the doses the city has already received, only 39% are in people's arms. Dr. Farley says the process is slow and complex.

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