HOUSTON — More than 400,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses are headed to Texas this week, and pharmacies will finally get their first shipments. Also this weekend, Houston Methodist is hosting three separate mega vaccination sites.
Beginning Friday until Sunday, Houston Methodist in Sugar Land is hosting its first vaccine mega site.
“We’ve spent the last really 8 days, I guess, planning the event which is going on right now, on our campus," said Houston Methodist Sugar Land CEO Chris Siebenaler.
Siebenaler said it’s one of three mega events happening this weekend, as the hospital system plans give 55,000 doses to the public.
“It’s not only rewarding for our patients and community, but honestly, it’s rewarding for each of us too," Siebenaler said.
As of today, Houston Methodist has given out roughly 142,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Memorial Hermann has distributed more than 79,000, and Harris County and Houston Health Departments together have given out nearly 78,000 doses.
And more are on the way.
“So I do feel like the momentum is starting," Siebenaler said.
More than 400,000 doses will be arriving in Texas next week, with 50,625 coming to Harris County and thousands more to Fort Bend, Galveston, Montgomery and Brazoria counties.
But that’s not all. Starting next week, pharmacies across Houston will start getting their first round vaccine to distribute.
For Texas, that includes CVS, Walmart and H-E-B. CVS says they’ll start accepting appointments as early as Tuesday for the first vaccinations on Thursday.
“From my perspective, that is in incredible. It’s what we need to in order to give our community immunity," Siebenaler said.
And with Johnson and Johnson waiting for approval on their single dose vaccine, Siebenaler said there’s hope on the horizon so don’t give up just yet.
“There will be many, many opportunities over the next several months for you to get the vaccine. Please be patient. We will get to you, I promise," Siebenaler said.