SkyEye flew over the sprawling compound where rows and rows of vehicles were being piped to vaccination posts under white tents.
The inauguration of the vaccination post did not go without some setbacks. Several factors, including missed appointments during the day, forced some people to wait for up to 45 minutes. Fema told ABC13 that it is working to resolve long waits.
The clinic had a smooth launch on Tuesday and will provide another location in addition to county, city, hospital and pharmacy locations across the region.
Organizers say that at least the federal site should vaccinate 126,000 people. It is estimated that 300,000 people who signed up for the vaccine are still waiting for the first dose of the vaccine. The mega site should greatly increase the chances of getting the photo soon.
On Monday afternoon, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, FEMA Regional Director Tony Robinson, and other local officials gave details of the mass vaccination clinic COVID-19, with federal and state-administered support.
WATCH: Get a glimpse at the NRG Park COVID-19 vaccine mega-site before the inauguration
Since its announcement a few weeks ago, workers have been building the temporary mass vaccination facility. It will be a drive-through in the Yellow Lot at NRG Park.
“People deserve good news, some hope,” said Hidalgo. “This site represents the biggest effort to date to vaccinate our community.”
According to Hidalgo, they will vaccinate those who live in the CEPs hard hit by the virus.
“All of us at the state, federal and local levels, we agree that this site should focus on the people who have been left behind so far, who have been hit hardest by COVID-19,” Hidalgo said. “We did this by finding postal codes with the highest incidence of the virus, and the highest social vulnerability and the social vulnerability index.”
The postal codes are as follows: 77022, 77029, 77032, 77078, 77087, 77093, 77502, 77504, 77506, 77587, 77011, 77012, 77015, 77016, 77020, 77026, 77028, 77033, 77037, 77038, 77039, 77048 , 77086, 77091, 77503, 77060, 77080, 77099, 77013, 77014, 77036, 77050, 77051, 77076, 77090.
Hidalgo added that individuals aged 65 and over on the waiting list who come from the city and the county’s top 10 postal codes will receive priority vaccines there.
The next priority group will be those 65 and older.
“So, we will prioritize the next individuals from the rest of the 25 most affected CEPs before leaving the broader waiting list,” said Hidalgo. This group will be made up of people from 60 to 64 years old with underlying medical conditions who live in high risk postal codes.
The fourth priority group will be that of 60 to 64 years of age with underlying medical conditions.
FEMA is using the Harris County and Houston City waiting lists. Individuals are being contacted for consultation.
To enter the Houston City waiting list, visit the website at houstonemergency.org/covid-19-vaccines or call 832-393-4301.
The Harris County waiting list can be reached at vacstrac.hctx.net.
Follow Miya Shay on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Copyright © 2021 KTRK-TV. All rights reserved.