HOUSTON, Texas — Don't bother showing up to Houston ISD headquarters this weekend for a COVID vaccination.
Those getting a shot are 300 pre-selected employees.
"We only brought so many doses,” said Kroger health and wellness leader Marla Fielder.
Fielder said dosage distribution is very limited.
"We approached HISD based on information that we were hearing, that there was a buzz that HISD and many school nurses were having trouble getting doses through the various clinic channels, etc,” said Fielder.
We interviewed an HISD nurse earlier this week who got her shot at the Houston Health Department's Bayou Events Center vaccination site.
"I think all teachers, counselors, anyone employed by the district should have it," said nurse Trudy Hilty. "And they should be among the first to have it."
There was immediate controversy when the state decided not to include teachers in its initial phases of vaccine distribution unless they have health conditions or are over 65.
And language in the Texas Department of State Health Services "COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Phase 1-B Definition" confused a number of districts as recently as Friday.
"My union members have said that they would certainly sleep better at night had they had the chance, if they had access to one of the vaccines,” said Cy-Fair American Federation of Teachers president Nikki Cowart.
HISD said it continues to advocate for vaccinating all educators as soon as possible as it rolls out new COVID-19 rapid tests for campus-based staff and certain students.
"Everybody has the same goal," said Fielder. "To get as many doses in arms as quickly as possible.”
Fielder told us Kroger Houston has gotten 6,800 doses so far.
But it and other entities are at the mercy of manufacturers and the state when it comes to getting more.
"For 10 months, we’ve done the best that we can to be patient," said Fielder. "And so if we’ve learned anything from that, it’s hurry up and wait, and that’s where we all are.”