Florida National Guard members getting vaccinated against coronavirus

Members of the Florida National Guard who are fighting on the frontline against COVID-19 have started getting vaccinated against the virus.

National Guard members have been assisting with the state’s response to the pandemic, which includes administering tests at state-run testing sites throughout Florida.

Those members are being prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Camp Blanding after the first shipment of more than a thousand doses of the Moderna vaccine arrived last week.

Maj. Gen. James Eifert, adjutant general of Florida, recovered from the coronavirus in October. He received his first dose of the vaccine last week, along with other soldiers and airmen.

Currently, getting the vaccine is highly encouraged but not mandatory for soldiers and airmen assigned to COVID-19 response efforts.