Firefighters and police officers can now sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine, and receive it as soon as today if they can find any openings.

There's a high demand for the vaccine, and some county health departments have backlogs over a month. The private health care industry is also offering vaccine for people who want it. 

“We didn't get into the game simply to be a vehicle to take care of our own,” says Chief Physician Executive Dr. Dan Varga, with Hackensack Meridian Health. “We are a community asset, and we are in this for the long haul.

Dr. Varga welcomes police officers, firefighters, and other first responders not affiliated with the health system to make an appointment.

“We know what we are doing with this, we got it down to a nice slick process and take advantage connecting to the website,” says Dr. Varga. “if there's an available appointment, take advantage of it, we will get a needle in an arm.

The call comes just a day after Gov. Murphy opened the vaccinations to part of those in Group 1B – police and firefighters.

“Bless them all,” says Gov. Murphy. “These are folks who are just as much in harm's way on the front lines as many of our health care workers and have often been called for medical support and have often the ones who have dealt with the knuckleheads."

Fire, police and EMS can schedule appointments to get vaccinated at any of Hackensack Meridian Health’s 10 sites by clicking here.