BRYAN, TX — After reporting seven new deaths Tuesday, the Brazos County Health District held a press conference Wed afternoon to discuss the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases, and vaccination efforts in Brazos County.
Jim Stewart, head of the local COVID-19 vaccination plan for Brazos County says, after one week of extensive planning efforts with County, cities, university partners, and hospitals: that the Brazos Center in Bryan will be the hub for vaccine distribution.
“We’ve identified a location. We’ve identified staffing. We have an overhead team in place, and we’re hopeful that we can do a dry run as early as next Monday,” Jim Stewart, Coordinator of Brazos Community Emergency Operations Center stated.
The announcement of the Brazos Center becoming a hub for vaccine distribution for the next three months, comes just days, after Governor Greg Abbott saying the state will be enhancing distribution efforts in the coming weeks. Chief Stewart, is confident in the execution of the Brazos County vaccination hub.
“I’m hopeful that Monday, we will start processing folks through the medical resources of St. Joesph’s, the overhead resources of TEEX, and our local responders,” said Stewart.
Health officials, hope the vaccination hub will begin working out the logistical issues present in the County.
“That bottleneck, is certainly not demand. There has been plenty of demand for this vaccine. What it comes down to is logistics. It comes down to, we have to have the space. We have to have the individuals with the ability to get the vaccine,” says Dr. Seth Sullivan, the Brazos County Alternate Health Authority.
Currently, Brazos County is in Phase 1A, and Phase 1B of their vaccination distribution plan, laid out by the State of Texas.
“Those who have been physically administered here in Brazos County, as of yesterday [Tue, Jan 12. 2020] was 2,575 those would be at least one dose. We have 291 individuals who have been fully vaccinated, received both doses,” said Dr. Sullivan.
While the local hospitals have been reaching out to patients that qualify in Phase 1B, Dr. Sullivan, ensures any individual qualifying in Phase 1B are a priority.
“We have to get that done. We have to. Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but it’s an effective thing to do," said Dr. Sullivan.
Currently, only people in categories 1A and 1B qualify to receive the vaccine at The Brazos Center.
For more information regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Texas, click HERE.