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Lakeway firefighters receive COVID-19 vaccinations on Friday
A handful of firefighters from Lake Travis Fire Rescue got their first round of the Moderna vaccine.
LAKEWAY, Texas - When they heard that firefighters in Lakeway were having a tough time getting access to a COVID-19 vaccine, the staff at a local urgent care center stepped in to help.
On Friday, a handful of firefighters from Lake Travis Fire Rescue got their first round of the Moderna vaccine, courtesy of VIK Complete Care of Lakeway.
"We have a lot of interactions on a daily basis with people who may be exposed or have COVID-19," said Chief Robert Abbott.
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Because of their daily interactions with people, these firefighters are technically in the first phase of vaccinations in Texas. However, that doesn’t mean it’s been easy for them to get one.
"It wasn’t always available at places we had access to," said Sarah Leach, clinical educator for LTFR. "Some of the opportunities have been limited because we’re competing with all the other fire departments."
VIK Complete Care was provided with vaccines to give to their employees, but they ended up having extra. They decided to offer those extra shots to the local firefighters who needed one.
"We’re just trying to fill in the gaps and make sure that all the frontline workers have been vaccinated that want to be," said Andrea Connell, community liaison with Complete Care.
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Chief Abbott was one of the LTFR members who got the shot on Friday, and he expressed thankfulness toward Complete Care and other private entities that are looking out for first responders.
"I think the vaccination provides a level of comfort," he said. "But we’re still going to continue with the safety precautions that we have in place for the community we serve."
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