DANVILLE, Pa. (WHTM) — A Pennsylvania healthcare system announced over 10,000 people at its facilities have received the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Geisinger Health System–with its headquarters in Danville, Pa., and various locations in central Pennsylvania– reached the milestone on Monday and will begin vaccinating EMS workers in local communities soon.

Geisinger facilities have been administering both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID vaccines to immunize their frontline workers since mid-December. With over 24,000 employees across the state, Geisiner says about 40% of their staff have received the first dose of the vaccine so far.

Additionally, as stated by the Pa. Department of Health’s plan to vaccinate certain healthcare personnel, Geisinger is using 10% of its vaccines to immunize EMS workers and community providers who give inpatient care.

While the healthcare system continues to coordinate non-Geisinger vaccinations, Geisinger Health encourages, “the preventive measures that have been stressed to help stop the spread of the virus as it’s expected to be well into the summer before vaccines are readily available for all community members.”

Geisinger is working to ensure the accessibility of both COVID vaccine doses, as well as the availability of the vaccine at no cost to patients.

Until the COVID-19 vaccine is available to the general public, the Pa. healthcare facilities advise everyone to wear masks, avoid group gatherings, and maintain proper social distancing.