Vaccine rollout remains slow in Hays County
Hays County Director of Public Health Tammy Crumley called the current COVID-19 vaccine rollout “frustrating” during a Facebook Live event Friday.
COVID-19 vaccine rollout remains slow with only 300 doses allocated to Hays County. But officials, including County Judge Ruben Becerra, Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Villalobos, Emergency Services Director Mike Jones and Crumley, attempted to quell public concerns and answer questions regarding vaccine rollout during Friday’s livestreamed event.
“We are working individually on getting out our COVID vaccine plan,” Crumley said. “We are waiting for the state to provide us those vaccines. We have received our approval from the state weeks ago. We still have not received more than our 300 allocation. We are prepared to start administering those to our 1B population. We are anxiously awaiting for more. We have been waiting for weeks to provide those to the public … It’s very frustrating as a local health department not to be able to provide that to the public. But that is unfortunately where we’re at right now.”
With limited supply received from the state, Hays County is directing residents to discuss vaccine options with their medical providers or to preregister to receive a vaccine through the state’s new hub system. The closest hub location is in Austin with an additional hub in San Antonio.
COVID-19 vaccine options are limited in San Marcos. There are only four providers in San Marcos who currently have received vaccine doses: HEB Pharmacy 455 (200 W. Hopkins St.); HEB Pharmacy 243 (641 E. Hopkins St.); Premier ER San Marcos (1509 N. Interstate 35); and San Marcos Family Medicine (2406 Hunter Road). According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, only groups 1A — frontline health care workers and residents of a long-term care facility — and 1B, which consists of those who are 65 years and older and people 16 years and older who have a chronic medical condition such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. Both H-E-B locations in San Marcos no longer have doses available, according to recent information from the DSHS. San Marcos Family Medicine currently has 240 Moderna doses available of 500 allocated, while Premier ER only has 20 doses left of 100 doses shipped. Before visiting a hospital or clinic for a vaccine call ahead or visit their website.
As of Friday, there have only been 6,539 people in Hays County who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while only 704 residents have been fully vaccinated, ac cording to the DSHS. The state estimates that there are 183,387 county residents above the age of 16.
Jones said the county has a plan to administer vaccines to residents once the county is able to do so.
“We can’t begin dispensing until, of course, we have the vaccine,” Jones said, highlighting that the county has worked with health partners in San Marcos, Hays County Emergency Service Districts, Texas State University and private partners. “Rest assured we do have a very good plan once we do have the vaccine in hand. Like anything, it’s supply and demand and we have a lot of demand, which is good. We’re glad to see that out of y’all.”
Although the county has only received a small amount of vaccines, State Rep. Erin Zwiener told the Daily Record that an additional 2,000 vaccines will be allocated to the Hays County Local Health Department “next week, and at least one area clinic will receive 900.”
As the county awaits additional vaccines, officials are asking the public to be patient.
“I’m hoping for more (vaccine doses),” Becerra said. “But, I will tell you this, I am going to fight for the residents of Hays County any way I can.”
Additional reporting by Stephanie Gates.
