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- At least 60 residents of a luxury apartment complex in Houston have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the general manager told The Daily Beast.
- A spokesperson for the Houston Department of Health, however, said the apartment complex was not a registered vaccine supplier.
- The Texas State Department’s local health service provider map does not include the Montebello complex. It mainly shows the locations of hospitals, pharmacies and medical clinics.
- Governor Greg Abbott warned that a “significant portion” of vaccines was not reaching vulnerable Texans.
- Texas recorded a record number of coronavirus hospitalizations on Friday.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
At least 60 residents of the upscale Montebello complex in Houston have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Daily Beast.
Montebello CEO Daniel Hancock told the publication, “The State of Texas has authorized it. We are working with a distributor … it is a blessing that we can get it.”
Hancock, however, did not specify the name of the distributor.
Local health officials do not believe the state has approved the distribution effort to residents who live in the luxury housing project.
A spokesperson for the Houston Department of Health told The Daily Beast, “All distributors must register with the state department of health. The apartment complex is not an approved supplier.”
He continued, “If a site is not approved, is not listed and receives vaccine shipments, then our recommendation is not to go to that site.”
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Montebello is not on the registered list of COVID-19 vaccine suppliers.
The departmental map, which lists approved locations, shows the closest vaccine supplier to the apartment complex is a medical center 0.44 km away. The majority of the locations listed are hospitals, medical clinics, and pharmacies – not apartment buildings.
A 68-year-old resident of the resort, who describes himself as “one of Houston’s tallest luxury towers,” told the Daily Beast he was vaccinated there.
The director of the complex said the building was eligible for vaccines as it houses many elderly residents.
While this apartment complex – where condos sell for more than $ 3.5 million – managed to gain access to the shots, other vulnerable Texans have not been vaccinated.
“I couldn’t find anyone who actually has the vaccine,” a man who qualifies for the vaccine told CBS DFW. Michael Calder, a resident of Dallas, said he called three vendors for the shot and was unsuccessful in all respects.
Pharmacists across the state have also reported missing doses. “I had to turn away healthcare workers because we were short,” pharmacist Wylie told the local broadcaster.
Texas officials have warned that the vaccines may not reach the most vulnerable Texans.
On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted that “a significant chunk of vaccines across Texas may be on hospital shelves instead of being donated in vulnerable Texas.”
—Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 29, 2020
Abbot then urged suppliers to “deliver all shots quickly.”
Dr John Hellerstedt, a Texas health commissioner, also urged vaccine suppliers to act quickly.
In a message to the public, he wrote: “All providers who have received the COVID-19 vaccine must immediately immunize healthcare workers, Texans over 65 and people with medical conditions … none vaccine should not be kept in reserve. “
The state’s vaccination campaign comes at a time when Texas is seeing a record number of hospitalizations for the coronavirus, according to the Texas Tribune.
The seven-day average positivity rate for COVID-19 testing has exceeded 20%, doubling the 10% level required to declare a “red flag” situation.
As of Friday, 12,369 new cases were reported in Texas.
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