NY Ambulance Organization Applauds EMS Put on COVID Vaccine Priority List

Even as the Pfiser COVID-19 vaccines are due to arrive in New York State, officials are still sorting out the order of who will be getting the limited number of inoculations first.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced the state was expecting around 170,000 doses of the vaccine with the first shots going to the front-line healthcare workers and nursing home residents.

At the first word came out of the prioritizing of the distribution of the vaccine to include patient-facing medical workers, groups representing ambulance crews raised concern that emergency medical responders were not in the first phase of the plan.

Last week, the Governor announced ambulance crews would be in the first tier considered for vaccination.

Chairman of the United New York Ambulance Network, Tom Coyle issued a news release thanking the Governor for ensuring EMS workers would have "immediate access to the COVID-19 vaccine once it is made available." Coyle says personal protective equipment is becoming harder to acquire and the ability to receive a vaccine will help keep EMS crews and patients safer.