Opinion: Turner, Hidalgo, we need the vaccine now
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Some area residents waited in line to receive their COVID-19 vaccines at Minute Maid Park, which will serve as a temporary site as the Bayou City Event Center is closed for an unrelated event Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Houston.Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Can’t wait until May
Regarding “What you need to know about getting your vaccine,” (A7, Jan. 13): Dear Mayor Sylvester Turner and County Judge Lina Hidalgo: It’s been a long road. I’ve watched you get out among the citizens of Harris County and urge them to distance and wear masks. I’ve watched you work with park visitors and beachgoers; Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrators; and even demonstrators to try and contain the pandemic in Harris County. Now I see you urging others to get their vaccine, and that’s a wonderful thing. You continue to urge citizens to persevere, to stay the cours
People turned away at Minute Maid Park after COVID-19 vaccine appointments overbooked Roxanne Bustamante
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Hundreds of people were sent home disappointed after the Houston Health Department announced it ran out of COVID-19 vaccine doses at the public mega site at Minute Maid Park on Saturday.
The department said the staff administered 5,451 doses of the vaccine as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, and there was a glitch in the system that caused it to overbook appointments.
NEW: We are no longer accepting people at today’s #COVID19 vaccination mega site at Minute Maid Park.
We re unable to accommodate the volume of people in line. Our staff is taking names of people in line who have appointments to re-schedule for a future date. #hounewspic.twitter.com/z2pasRuDaV Houston Health Dept (@HoustonHealth) January 17, 2021
ABC13 s Erik Barajas took your COVID-19 questions for a town hall, featuring Mayor Turner, Dr. David Persse and Dr. Sherri Onyiego.
ABC13 put in an inquiry with the Mayor s office and the city s health department regarding the alleged glitch in the system. This was the response from a spokesperson with the Houston Health Department: Our vaccine supply info is on our website. We scheduled approx 5k appointments today but went over.
On January 14, the health department received an additional 8,200 doses of vaccine, bringing its total to 30,350.
As of January 15, the department administered a total of 21,025 doses at locations including Minute Maid Park, Bayou City Event Center, its Northside, La Nueva Casa de Amigos, Sharpstown and Sunnyside health centers, the JW Peavy Senior Center, and its Acres Homes, Hiram Clarke and Magnolia multi-service centers.
The City of Houston has confirmed that it vaccinated more than 6,000 people Saturday at its vaccination mega-site stationed at Minute Maid Park. The city said although the demand far outmatched the supply, 6,462 people received their first COVID vaccine dose Saturday. EDITORIAL NOTE: The above video originally aired Jan. 16 The Houston Health Department said they are aware of the hiccups that happened at Saturday's vaccination clinic, including.