'Save Our Seniors' initiative will help homebound Texans get vaccinated
AUSTIN, Texas - A new initiative is being launched by the state of Texas to help homebound seniors get vaccinated. Governor Greg Abbott announced the statewide initiative at a press conference in Corpus Christi on Thursday.
The program will launch on Monday, March 1.
"A key part of our mission in the fight against COVID-19 is to vaccinate seniors and those who are most at risk — and senior vaccination programs like the one in Corpus Christi are crucial to accomplishing this mission," said Governor Abbott.
As part of the statewide initiative, Texas will deploy more than 1,100 National Guardsmen to assist communities in vaccinating homebound seniors.
The guardsmen will be broken up into teams that will deploy across the state, according to a press release. Some members of these teams will focus on identifying and registering homebound seniors for the program while others will visit homes and administer vaccines.
The state is dedicating up to 8,000 vaccines to this initiative for the first week and will work with organizations like Meals On Wheels and nursing groups to identify homebound seniors who volunteer to be vaccinated.
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During the press conference, the governor commended the Corpus Christi Fire Department, Meals on Wheels of Corpus Christi, and the City of Corpus Christi for the success of their homebound senior vaccination program, which serves as a model for the statewide initiative.
"I am proud of the work being done by the Corpus Christi Fire Department, Meals On Wheels, and city leadership to identify and vaccinate homebound seniors in their community," Abbott said during his press conference. "By implementing a similar model throughout the state, and with the support of the Texas National Guard, we will reach more homebound seniors in communities across Texas and provide them with these life-saving vaccines."