Vaccinating Houston's most vulnerable residents
HOUSTON - Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has joined 400 other mayors calling on Congress to offer cities pandemic assistance. The mayor says the money would help get more people vaccinated against COVID-19 faster.
Even as the Mayor tries to secure federal assistance for the near future, this week the City of Houston’s mission is to vaccinate Houstonians who are at the highest risk.
After extensive research about the COVID-19 vaccine, 73-year-old Gloria Davis found herself with her sleeve rolled up at a Houston vaccine site Friday.
"The young lady who gave me my vaccine was just incredible. I didn’t know she had finished. I said ok you can go ahead and she was already finished," Davis laughs. That was actually Davis’ second vaccine, which expectedly came with some side effects. "I had some aches, some chills, a little fever and I had zero energy but if having the vaccine disturbed my peace for just a day and a half imagine what having COVID can do," Davis says.
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The City of Houston’s latest 9,000 doses of the vaccine will mostly go to the Area Agency on Aging, or AAA, and vulnerable communities.
"Everybody needs the vaccine. We certainly want everyone to get it. That’s the only way we get herd immunity," says Mayor Turner.
"This is not the time to take our foot off the brake. We need to continue to have our masks on, social distance, wash your hands, and get tested frequently," adds Houston Health Department Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Persse.
"It’s a paycheck of the heart because it’s not just for me but the number of people whose lives I come in contact with," Davis says. She and her two daughters who are essential workers have also been vaccinated and she says she's glad they all were. "Because I feel great today."
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"The focus on vaccine does not mean we can stop focusing on prevention and testing," adds Mayor Turner.
Dr. Persse says hospitalizations and positivity rates have leveled off and slightly decreased. City officials also admit the vaccine demand continues to exceed supply. They say an additional 50,000 doses are coming to the state. The City of Houston has administered more than 34,000 vaccines so far.
The mayor is suggesting small and safe gatherings for Super Bowl Sunday.