After the Colorado General Assembly gavels in on Jan. 13, there will be at least a couple of lawmakers who might breathe a little easier: Senate President Leroy Garcia of Pueblo and Rep. Kyle Mullica of Thornton.

It’s not because they’re powerful politicians. It’s because they’re lifesavers.

Garcia received the first of his two shots of the Moderna vaccine Monday. Mullica received his first shot last week.

Both of them are front-line health care workers – Garcia a paramedic, Mullica an emergency room nurse.

“I am incredibly grateful to have received the COVID-19 vaccine today,” Garcia said in a statement Monday morning. “For nine long months, our state has been under the heel of this vicious virus, and now the end is finally in sight.

“Working on the front line during this pandemic has been extremely eye-opening. I continually feel humbled by my colleagues’ sacrifice, resiliency, and commitment. Shift after shift, surge after surge these brave men and women put their own health and safety at risk – submerged by the brutality of this illness every day. But with the new vaccine finally being distributed, we can finally rest assured that this harrowing time is almost over.”

Garcia isn’t in the clear yet, though. He has to wait 28 days for the second and final dose.

The General Assembly is expected to gavel in on what was scheduled as its first day, then recess until at least February, to allow the peak of the virus outbreak to subside and for more Coloradans (and lawmakers) to be vaccinated.

Garcia’s office said Monday that 63,000 Coloradans have received the vaccine so far.

Mullica received his first shot last Wednesday.

“Seeing the harm that has come to our community from this and to be actually able to see that light at the end of the tunnel is so exciting because it’s been hard,” he told Colorado Politics at the time. “Really this is the solution to it. This is how we’re going to get out of this.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Ken Buck of Windsor, who also chairs the state Republican Party, said Dec. 18 that he was concerned about potential side effects, so he won’t take the vaccine. He said he was not advising others not to take it, however.

The Food and Drug Administration is allowing the vaccine with emergency use authorization initially for at least 156 medical facilities or local public health departments across the state.

Garcia’s office recommended Coloradans learn more about the vaccine from the state health department by clicking here.