Turner says future vaccine megasites depend on supply

HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday that future coronavirus vaccine megasites will depend on whether the city receives doses.

Turner said the city received 8,000 doses on Friday morning, which allowed the city to open 1,000 additional times at the megavaccination site on Saturday at Minute Maid Park, where a total of 3,852 people received the injection.

The mayor said he wants to open megasites on the north and south sides of the city as soon as possible, but he is hesitant to announce more detailed plans because he is unsure whether the city will receive another shipment of the vaccine this week.

“We need everyone to work with a great sense of urgency,” said Turner.

Turner said demand for the vaccine is far exceeding the amount of vaccine available. Turner said that as soon as more doses of the vaccine were received, the city would start opening more hours.

Stephen Williams, director of the Houston Department of Health, said that of the more than 22,000 vaccines received in the city, 14,297 were administered and 1,900 were transferred to other providers to help ensure equity in the distribution of the vaccine.

The Houston Department of Health reported an additional 1,460 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to more than 131,000. Three additional deaths, including Jose Rubio, a 27-year veteran of the city’s Department of Public Works, have also been reported, bringing the total death toll in Houston to 1,600.

Turner said coronavirus-related hospitalizations are rapidly approaching levels reached during the summer peak.

Dr. David Persse, Houston’s medical director, said that with a current positivity rate of 17.4%, he believes hospitalizations will soon exceed the numbers seen in the summer.

“Hospitals are really in a very difficult position right now,” said Persse.

The authorities again urged people to wear their masks, wash their hands, keep their distance, avoid large gatherings and take the test.