LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Educators in grades K-12, adults over 70, and non-emergency first responders are part of the next group eligible for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Louisville.

Close to 6,000 people in Group 1A have received their first dose of the vaccine at the appointment-only drive-thru site at Broadbent Arena, according to Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, the Associate Medical Director. Soon, the mass vaccination site will accept those in Group 1B.

The news signals a "light at the end of the tunnel," according to JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio. 

"This is a huge step forward for us in getting there," Pollio said. "I’m so thankful that we can be on the offense and we can begin to look forward to opening our schools in person now sooner rather than later." 

The 1B category also includes critical utility workers and corrections personnel.

Most adults over 70 will get their shots in hospitals, according to Hartlage. 

"We are using an equity lens to try to focus on zip codes that have been hit the hardest from COVID and areas of the city that we know are disadvantaged and struggle with healthcare access," she said.  

Vaccinating the 1B category is expected to take three months, but could go faster depending on how many more shipments come in from the federal government, doctors said.

Residents eligible for the vaccine can sign up here.