Citing fewer residents requesting COVID-19 vaccines, Comal County plans to conclude mass vaccination clinics with two next week and at least one in mid-June.
Public Health Director Cheryl Fraser said the county should be proud of the successful rollout of Moderna vaccines, with her office administering more than 33,000 first and second doses among the more than 109,000 administered throughout the county.
âWeâre estimating 40% of our eligible population (16 and older) is fully vaccinated,â she told county commissioners Thursday morning. âDue to the huge success of these clinics, it brings us to a turning point.â
The county had readied up to 4,000 vaccines for clinics held May 5-6 at the New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center, but only distributed 2,563 doses for the two days. Fraser said the next clinics will be Tuesday (for second doses) and Wednesday at the Civic Center.
Both area lawmakers said they plan to attend the Texas Legislative Conference, a nonpartisan organization of Texas business and political leaders, will be held Thursday and Friday at New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center.
âI will try to attend, but we will have a calendar on the floor that day and representing my district on the floor is the job my constituents elected me to do,â District 73 Rep. Kyle Biedermann said of the event sponsored by the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce.Â
The conference begins with an informal reception at 7 p.m. Thursday and continues Friday with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast, opening session and three seminars addressing public policy issues.
Too much of a good thing is usually cause to celebrate, but despite efforts to distribute more COVID-19 vaccines, the supply is far exceeding demand.
âWeâre seeing demand tail off pretty significantly and the supply of vaccines is going up,â County Judge Sherman Krause said. âWeâre seeing fewer and fewer of people asking for vaccines, and that just means they have either lined up appointments or have already been vaccinated.
âBut the supply is there and we can get all we need â we just donât see that demand out there anymore.â
Cheryl Fraser, public health director, didnât report before county commissioners â she was busy managing distribution of the Moderna vaccines during a second-dose clinic Wednesday and a first-dose clinic on Thursday.
COVID-19 vaccinations are at the give-away stage throughout Comal County, which closed its signup list earlier this week and plans its 23rd and 24th mass vaccine clinics next week.
Cheryl Fraser, public health director reporting to county commissioners on Thursday, said 96,943 shots have been distributed, with 60,467 having received at least one dose of the vaccine and 41,465 have received their second inoculations against the coronavirus.
Fraser said she was âparticularly proudâ that 67.68% of seniors 65 and older (21,627) have received at least one dose and 56.13% (16,394) have received both shots of the vaccine.Â
âThat is our most vulnerable group,â she said.
Fraser estimated the public health office has administered more than 30,000 doses, accounting for 32.98% of total county vaccinations. She said the county conducted its fifth and sixth satellite clinics this week.