According to information from the Texas Department of State Health Services, both county vaccine hubs at CHI St. Luke's Health—The Woodlands Hospital and the Lone Star Family Health Center's Montgomery County Fairgrounds site were once again allocated about 2,000 doses each in the 10th week of vaccine distribution in Texas.
The Montgomery County Public Health District also received a 2,000-dose allocation this week, its largest yet, while the Magnolia Pharmacy on the county's west side was set to receive its second 500-dose allocation from the state. As of this week, more than 80,000 vaccine doses have been allocated for Montgomery County providers. While this week's allocations were announced Feb. 12, statewide distribution of those reserved vaccine doses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could be delayed until midweek or later, according to DSHS.
"Due to the winter storm and dangerous conditions, the CDC has put vaccine shipments on hold. We are not expecting deliveries to occur until at least Wednesday and expect an update later today," DSHS Press Officer Douglas Loveday said in an email. "Many local vaccine providers have postponed clinics since it is not safe for people to be out across much of Texas right now. Vaccination will resume as soon as it is safe."
Vaccination appointments at local providers receiving allocations this week were also put on hold beginning Feb. 15. Ahead of the arrival of winter storm conditions in Montgomery County, both St. Luke's and Lone Star had announced Feb. 12 that some operations at their local hub sites would be postponed. Both Lone Star and Magnolia Pharmacy announced clinic closures Feb. 15, while St. Luke's said all of its vaccination locations including the Montgomery County hub site would remain closed Feb. 15 and 16.
The Feb. 15-16 closure of the county public health district and its COVID-19 call center for vaccination waitlist registration was also announced late last week. As of Feb. 15, nearly 64,000 doses—a majority of those allocated to providers countywide—had been administered, according to DSHS data. That total includes more than three-fourths of first doses and more than 86% of second doses. Through nine weeks, vaccinations in Montgomery County peaked earlier this month during the week of Feb. 1 when more than 17,400 vaccine doses were administered.
