Shipment of COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Central Texas
AUSTIN, Texas - One of the first shipments of the COVID19 vaccine to arrive in Austin came in a single white box a little before 9 a.m. Monday morning and was rolled into a secured location at UT's Dell Medical School.
Jennifer Harrison, the Sr. Director of Clinical Operations was well aware of the significance of this moment.
"It was a very surreal moment and being part of history today, and understanding such a small box is so important and pivotal to our country at this moment,” said Harrison.
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Area-wide almost 14,000 vials of vaccine are part of this first mass delivery. Once the seals were broken the vaccine from Pfizer was quickly unpacked from the dry ice that kept it viable. Trays that contained the vials were placed into a specialized deep freeze holding unit. Each step gets closer to what is hoped to be the end of the pandemic.
"The needles will start going into arms tomorrow at 8 am,” said Harrison.
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UT and the Ascension Seton Medical Center were the most doses; both getting almost 3,000. Other deliveries are being made to Dell Children's, South Austin Medical, Austin State Hospital, St. David’s, the Round Rock Medical Center, Baylor, Scott & White Round Rock, and the Seton Hospital in Kyle.
"We've had a great response, people eager and waiting. We've had already over a thousand people register and expect that to increase every day” said Harrison.
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It's going to be a long line for a shot. Austin is part of state health Region 7 which includes about two dozen central Texas counties. The estimated number of people classified as vulnerable and frontline include:
- 74,212 health care personnel
- 9,156 EMS
- 32,000 acute care employees
- 17,000 nursing home residents
- Almost a half-million adults over the age of 65
"Relieved, and very optimistic,” said Eric Bonner, who has two family members at high risk for the virus. "And we have confidence and we want to go forward. So we've been on super lockdown and we want to be done with it, so we will endure a little longer and then we will hopefully have the relief that we think this is."
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Those who get the vaccine now must have a second shot, which is set for an early January delivery. The next step in the state plan is Phase 2, which expands availability. At that point vaccine will be administered through pharmacies, doctors' offices, and clinics as well as specialized vaccine teams that will target areas with limited access. A date for those shipments has not yet been announced.