With the Dallas County vaccine waiting list that now has a million people, those who in time are turning to the road.
Many are driving about an hour on I-45 to Corsicana, a small pocket with the charm of a small town and, most importantly, an ample stock of vaccines.
“We are receiving an allocation of about 1,500 shots a week,” said fire chief Paul Henley.
Henley is responsible for administering the vaccination clinic in the county of Navarro, made up of firefighters, police, volunteers and nursing students from the Faculty of Navarro of Corsicana.
In the past few weeks, Henley said he was able to send invitations almost immediately to all those registered on the county portal.
This recently includes those who are not yet qualified.
He said that about 80% of the people who saw it were residents of the county.
“We got them by car to Georgetown, San Antonio, to get the photo, and that’s comforting, because we know that we’re doing it well for a lot of people,” said Henley.
Stephanie Mears and Joshua Hernandez said it was about a two-hour drive for them, as they struggled with traffic coming from the Colony.
Still, they will tell you it was worth it.
“I think we’re excited and happy,” said Mears.
“It’s a little surreal,” said Hernandez.
After watching the family struggle to find a vaccine, the couple was willing to do whatever was necessary to get an injection that would protect not only them, but also their loved ones.
And, under the guidance of health officials in the largest counties in DFW, that meant registering for the vaccine everywhere, instead of waiting in places that could take weeks.
“We saw some Oklahoma signs in the parking lot. So there is definitely a desire and a demand for that, ”said Hernandez.
In Navarro County, Henley said he is happy to help.
“We want to be a great steward of our assets and be everything we can for the State of Texas and our citizens,” said Henley.
Still, he said they started to discuss how long keeping a website open there makes sense.
In Navarro County, they are relying on more limited resources in a smaller community to help serve larger populations.
That’s why Henley turned to the county to see how both his vaccine distribution and his team can best help serve Texans right now.
Henley said that one possibility is to create another hub closer to the metroplex.
And for some who have driven, it makes sense.
“I know that there are people who cannot afford to drive two hours or are not able to drive, so we are lucky in that regard. But we hope it will be more accessible to more people, ”said Mears.
But until then, if and when that happens, Henley said Navarro County remains committed to helping Texas overcome the crisis.
The vaccine clinic in the county of Navarro is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Click here to register for a vaccine in Navarro County.