Texas health district postpones administration of COVID-19 vaccine doses until after Christmas

The Williamson County and Cities Health District received 900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday and then closed its offices at Christmas.

District officials said on Thursday that the vaccine arrived ahead of schedule and that it was impossible to speed up vaccine administration plans from Saturday. But the move drew strong rebuke from local leaders, who felt that health officials shirked their obligations by not promptly administering doses of the vaccine.

“We actually have the tool in our toolbox and we are holding it,” said Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell. He criticized the district authorities for taking time off while the first respondents in downtown Texas suburban county, where Round Rock is located, continued to work.

“I am deeply disappointed,” he added.

Gravell said he urged the health district to promptly administer the vaccine to eligible people, including frontline health workers and first aid. But district clinics won’t reopen until Saturday.

Deb Strahler, a district health spokesman, said the district was told Tuesday night that a shipment of vaccine doses would not arrive on Wednesday, so the team was surprised when that happened. Planning efforts were completed on Tuesday and include four consecutive days of vaccination starting on Saturday at 7:30 am, she said.

“We felt it was important to be consistent and not create last-minute changes that would generate potential chaos, reduce attendance and increase the potential for missed vaccine doses, which must be administered within six hours after opening a bottle,” said Strahler .

Strahler defended the district’s decision to close for the holiday.

“Our vaccine operations are based on the shift shift times that have worked best for partner agencies, and our team will work during the holiday weekend, during their normal time off,” she said.

Texas health officials reserved the first doses of the vaccine for frontline health workers and long-term residents and staff.

The health district said it will vaccinate firefighters who work in emergency services like pre-hospital care, past respondents who provide services for people with COVID-19 and school nurses who care for students and teachers.

Doses of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Texas last week, marking a milestone in the fight against coronavirus, even when the state is fighting a wave of new cases and hospitalizations that are approaching vacation.

The monumental task of administering vaccines to anyone you want can take six to nine months.

Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of Health Services, earlier this week asked providers who received remittances of the vaccine to act “with a sense of urgency” in vaccinating those who are willing and eligible.

“The purpose of this letter is to reiterate that we have instructed all entities that received a vaccine to administer their entire quota at all deliberate speeds,” wrote Hellerstedt. “Remember that more vaccines will be provided in the coming days, weeks and months. The time to vaccinate willing individuals is now. “