Orlando, FL.– The Florida Department of Health in Orange County (DOH-Orange) received its first shipment of 16,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine today.
Recently granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, DOH-Orange will soon begin administering the vaccine to local Orange County EMTs/Paramedics who are included in the state’s priority 1A distribution list.
“We have been planning for this day for many months,” said Dr. Raul Pino, Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health in Orange County. “This initial shipment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine not only gives us the ability to protect the local emergency workers who will serve as vaccinators in the future but also limits the spread of the COVID-19 virus within the community.”
“This is a significant and an exciting step to learn that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has arrived to the Florida Department of Health in Orange County,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings.
“Our staff and support teams are standing by to assist the Florida Department of Health in Orange County’s efforts to vaccinate the county’s EMS workers. While this milestone represents the first step to get the public back to normal, it is important to understand that it will be a long process and the opportunity for mass vaccination will not be for months. That’s why it is essential to continue to wear a face covering and abide by CDC guidelines.”
Following the initial distributions to high-risk frontline health care workers and long-term care facility staff and residents, the state of Florida will work to provide vaccine to additional priority groups. The state is committed to providing the vaccine to each priority group and to the general public as quickly as possible, however, much of these plans are dependent on vaccine supply.
