Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Anthony Ricciardelli called for the resolution at a council meeting Jan. 25. Denton and Collin counties had received smaller portions of vaccines than the counties' proportion of state population, he said.
The state recognized the issue of allocations being "significantly less than their share of the population" in a Jan. 29 release and is focusing its efforts on suburban areas of Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston in the upcoming week's allocations, the release said.
Both Collin and Denton counties received close to 10,000 vaccines the week of Jan. 25. State allocation for Feb. 1 has been increased to nearly 43,000 doses in Collin County and close to 33,000 in Denton County.
Council members acknowledged this improvement before passing the resolution at Jan. 29 special called session. The "unified public declaration" will give further "ammo" for legislators and leadership, such as Collin County Judge Chris Hill, to continue working with the state for fair distribution, Ricciardelli said.
As more vaccines come to Collin County, a new distribution hub is also anticipated to open Feb. 2 at Plano's Sam Johnson Recreation Center for Adults 50+. The site is contracted for six months of vaccine distribution, City Manager Mark Israelson said at the Jan. 25 city council meeting. The recreation center has been closed to the public, with the exception of its health care clinic, since March of last year.
The site will be run by health care company Texas Health Resources, which will schedule appointments for those eligible for Phase 1A and 1B based on the Collin County waitlist, according to Media Relations Director Steve Stoler. The recreation center hub will operate slightly differently than other locations, with those receiving vaccines being require to park and wait before entering the building for the vaccine, he said.
This will be Collin County's sixth vaccination hub. As more vaccine hubs open in the area, Stoler urged residents to pay attention to communications from the county and hubs so as not to go to the wrong site.
"It's so important that people know where to go for their shots," Stoler said.
