TSA officers at Orlando International Airport who are in direct contact with the public will be able to get vaccinated at the Orlando VA ahead of the Spring Break travel season.
TSA officers who are veterans can get vaccinated at the Orlando VA this week through a Department of Homeland Security and Department of Veterans Affairs partnership.
Non-veterans who are considered mission critical frontline personnel and who have opted into the program will get their shots at the VA next week.
Congressman Darren Soto says this is a major improvement from when the program was rolled out and Orlando officers had to travel up to 200 miles to get the shot.
“Orlando VA continues to be a good partner in working with us. Until this last week, TSA officers had to go down to Miami if they were not veterans and that will change as of next week.”
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Soto said he’s working with his colleagues in the Congress to make sure the supply of doses can meet the demand.
“We absolutely need to protect them not only because they’re valued federal employees, but also to prevent anyone else from getting COVID through the TSA at our airport.”
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In an email from Orlando VA Medical Director Tim Cooke to Soto, he said staff would be reaching out to TSA workers with information about registration and walk-ins.
More than 160 TSA workers at MCO have gotten sick with COVID-19.
