As the COVID-19 vaccines continue to be administered in Dallas County, it’s important to understand how those priority groups were set including healthcare and emergency medical service workers. 

Dallas County Public Health Public Information Office Ann Cochran says it’s important to vaccinate both healthcare and EMS workers and the protection goes both ways. 

“If you are a first responder in one of the small towns in Dallas County and you go out on a call, you go into a patient’s home, you yourself could potentially be exposed either to that individual who is the patient or a family member in the home could possibly have COVID.”

Cochran believes the decision to vaccinate healthcare and EMS workers can help alleviate concerns that frontline workers may have of potentially spreading the virus. 

“They don’t have to be so concerned that they are going into the home of this elderly patient who is very likely to be very sick if they do get COVID.”

The COVID-19 vaccines will continue to be administered to more healthcare and EMS workers as vaccinations continue.