Hundreds more COVID-19 vaccine doses sent to Montgomery County providers in fifth week of distribution

Montgomery County providers were set to receive their smallest allocation of COVID-19 vaccine doses yet the week of Jan. 11, as weekly distribution efforts continue to send tens of thousands of vaccine doses to more than two dozen vaccination hubs throughout the state.

Only three county providers in The Woodlands area—CHI St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital and The Woodlands Specialty Hospital—received between 100 and 300 doses of the Moderna Inc. vaccine this week, the fifth week since distribution began in mid-December, according to information from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The first four weeks of COVID-19 vaccine distribution—from Dec. 14-Jan. 10—sent 33,775 total doses to Montgomery County hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and physicians' offices; in that time frame, 9,702 vaccinations were performed, which represents 28.73% of the county's cumulative allocation.

Week 5 of vaccine distribution also marked the launches throughout the state of vaccination hubs, an initiative aimed at registering and vaccinating eligible Texans in areas most affected by COVID-19, according to DSHS. Montgomery County was not one of the 18 counties with at least one hub location opening this week. Harris County was the sole recipient in the Greater Houston area; nearly 27,000 vaccine doses were allocated to three hub providers there.

Texas remains in the first stage of vaccinations in Phases 1A and 1B for eligible residents, a category that includes health care workers, long-term care residents, those age 65 and older, and those age 16 and above with chronic medical conditions.