“We could open all the megasites that we want in Williamson County, but until we get a significant amount of vaccines, it’s still going to be fairly slow,” Gravell said.
Next week, vaccinations will continue Feb. 1 and 2 at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, a Family Hospital Systems vaccine hub location. On Feb. 3, a vaccination location will open in the Georgetown High School football stadium parking lot; it will be operated either by Family Hospital Systems or by Curative, Gravell said, and the county will transfer 500 vaccines to a Baylor Scott & White location in Round Rock.
Phase 1A of the state vaccination plan has been completed, Gravell said, but the county health district has circled back to ensure that every senior in nursing homes and care facilities can be vaccinated. Williamson County and Cities Health District has found four nursing homes in the county that had not been vaccinated, he said.
“We’re working really hard to reach out to those that are not able to get out and coming up with a game plan—a long-term game plan—for vaccinating those that are homebound,” he said.
Gravell said the goal is for Family Hospital Systems, the county’s vaccine partner, to operate on the west side of the county and for Curative to operate in the east. The county is also planning for a mobile vaccination center.
The county will also expand its Vaccine Registration Technical Assistance, or VRTA, sites to allow seniors without technology to access vaccine registration. Gravell said only about 3,000 of the county’s 81,282 senior residents have received the vaccine. The centers are not limited to seniors, however, and sites are using county technology to keep data confidential.
The VRTA site will continue in the Sun City Ballroom, and two more locations will be announced Feb. 1 in Cedar Park and Taylor. Addresses and times will be released then.
The county will open a vaccine call center Feb. 1 to answer resident questions. Phone lines will be offered in Spanish and English. People may call 512-943-1600.
“We need neighbors checking on neighbors to be vaccinated,” Gravell said.
Vaccines are being distributed to those with an appointment, and county officials have asked people to arrive at the vaccine distribution hubs only if they have an appointment. People may sign up for the vaccine at https://familyhospitalsystems.typeform.com/to/nnnrxfts. Read more Williamson County vaccine information here.
Ali Linan contributed to this report.
