Coronavirus Texas: UTMB Health in Galveston to resume COVID-19 vaccinations this week

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) – UTMB Health in Galveston, one of the centers designated in Texas to help immunize many people at once, is expected to receive more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this week.

The hospital said it will receive 4,000 doses and distribute them to those considered to be at high risk who have had appointments canceled due to a lack of supply.

UTMB Health announced on Monday January 11 that they had to cancel 6,000 appointments for the first dose. People with appointments for a second dose are still scheduled to get them, the hospital said.

“We want to make sure that people who we have already promised the vaccine (to) get the vaccine,” said Dr Philip Keizer of UTMB Galveston and Galveston County Health Authority.

Officials said UTMB Health ran out of vaccines for the first doses on Wednesday, January 13, and did not receive another shipment earlier this week.

READ MORE: Appointments Canceled As Southeastern Texas Counties Wait For Vaccine Supply

The 4,000 vaccine shipment that the hospital is receiving this week has been allocated to them before they are designated as a hub.

“We have been asked to be able to vaccinate up to 2,000 people per day, and I think we are currently at that capacity,” Keizer said. “Now, with the doses that we’re going to get this week, we’ll probably be through them in three or four days. The second thing is that we were also told to expect to be able to vaccinate up to 5,000 people. per site, per day, and it will take a while to reach that capacity, but we think we can do it. “

WATCH: What’s delaying vaccine rollout in Texas?

Dr Keizer said the centers can potentially extract resources from other areas, which means rural communities could be affected. But eventually, the hubs will be located in other areas to increase access across the state and our communities.

He also said that another factor that could help speed up vaccine rollout is the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which, if approved, would be the third vaccine in circulation, possibly as early as mid- February.

For now, the hospital will be directly contacting people who had their first appointment canceled last week.

“Although we currently do not have a vaccine stock to begin mass vaccination efforts, we look forward to working with partners in the region we serve to bring the COVID-19 vaccines to our patients and our community. community when supplies become available, ”UTMB Health said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Governor Abbott reassures Texans that more COVID-19 vaccines are coming

UTMB Health offers the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which, according to a recent study, may protect against a mutation found in the two most contagious variants of the coronavirus.

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