Rural counties urging people to be patient during vaccine rollout
LLANO, Texas - The COVID-19 vaccine has come to rural counties in Texas, though the wait to get one may still be a while.
"Right now we have already distributed our 100 doses. We have received basically 10 vials which is what our first allotment was," said Gilbert Bennett, emergency management coordinator for Llano County emergency.
Llano County received their first doses of the vaccine this week, a couple of weeks behind other bigger counties like Travis and Williamson. "We were able to do 30 healthcare workers on the front line and 70 of the assisted-living and the patients that are in those care centers that have been taken care of," said Bennett.
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While they just started vaccinations, Llano County is focusing still on healthcare workers, instead of being on phase 1B like other counties. Llano along with other rural counties are urging people to be patient, as they’re not sure when they’ll get their next shipment of the vaccine or just how much.
"It’s limited we understand that and as it ramps up it’ll be more and more available," said Bennett.
Llano County has started an online waitlist for its residents to get vaccinated.
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"You fill out information and it goes directly to our sign-in sheet and it puts you on the waiting list," said Bennett.
They currently have more than 3000 residents already signed up, when exactly they’ll get vaccinated is still up in the air. "We all have to be patient right now, something has been put into motion and we just have to be patient," said Bennett.