First responders to receive shots in Mass.

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts will begin administering COVID-19 vaccine doses to police, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders on Jan. 11, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday.

The state is offering a variety of options for first responders, including administering vaccinations onsite at their jobs if their agencies meet certain criteria.

Hospitals are also helping set up 60 vaccination centers across the state to administer doses to first responders. The sites will be able to give up to 2,000 doses a day. First responders will also be able to book appointments at other vaccinations sites in coming weeks.

There are about 45,000 first responders in the state.

The state has already begun administering doses to residents and staff of long-term care facilities and medical workers and hospital staff caring for COVID-19 patients.

Even with the arrival of the initial doses of vaccine, the state is looking at some tough months ahead before the shots are made more widely available to the public, Baker said at an afternoon press conference at the Statehouse.

“We still have some tough days in front of us,” the Republican said. “It’s important for us to do the things that stop the spread every day here in the commonwealth.”

About 287,000 first doses of the vaccine have been shipped to Massachusetts and just over 116,000 doses have been administered, Baker said.

Massachusetts has a population of about 6.9 million.

Baker also applauded the opening of a field hospital in Lowell on Monday to help cope with an increase in COVID-19 patients in the state.