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COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – Baylor Scott & White Hospital – College Station today received its first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The hospital was named the vaccine supplier during phase I of the state’s vaccine distribution plan by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
Baylor Scott & White – College Station is receiving 975 doses, according to the DSHS Week 1 COVID-19 vaccine allocation. This dosage is for the first week.
The hospital has protocols for receiving the vaccine which includes storage at -70 ° C. You can read more about Baylor Scott & White’s vaccination protocols here.
Baylor Scott & White Regional President Jason Jennings says it’s an exciting day and they are ready to jump into employee vaccination.
“The team was ready to receive this vaccine and we are delighted. Tomorrow will be even more exciting. We plan to do the first vaccine early tomorrow morning, ”Jennings said.
The group receiving the vaccines on Friday are described as men and women who have been on the front lines in the fight against the virus for months.
When these first vaccines arrive, St. Joseph Health in Bryan and the Brazos County Health District say they are awaiting their first shipments.
Dr. Kia Parsi, Chief Medical Officer of St. Joseph Health, says he is delighted to receive his first round of vaccines soon.
“St. Joseph has registered all of our hospitals and other clinical sites that will be eligible to distribute a vaccine. So we have a hospital in Bryan, College Station, Navasota, Madisonville, and Burleson County. Depending on the number of vaccines we receive, we will try to distribute them to all of our communities, ”said Dr Parsi.
While battling COVID-19, Dr Parsi says access to a vaccine could be a game-changer.
“I have treated HIV positive patients who did not, and if they had taken the vaccine they could be alive today,” Dr Parsi said.
Dr Seth Sullivan, of the Brazos County Alternative Health Authority, says as more vaccines are released and are made more available through multiple providers of community, we will move closer to a new standard.
“I think the most realistic schedule I’ve seen has been summer, and then we can all really hope that next fall will be a lot different than this fall,” said Dr. Sullivan.
Dr Sullivan adds that until herd immunity is achieved, which he says will take time, people will have to continue to take the necessary safety precautions.
“We’re going to have to maintain all mask wear and social distancing until we really hit a bend. This corner will really be herd immunity, or once we feel we have a critical mass that has been vaccinated or immunized, ”Dr Sullivan said.
But to make this possible, more vaccines must arrive in the region. Dr Sullivan says he expects the deployment and availability of vaccines to be similar to the deployment and availability of COVID-19 tests. The first people need it the most, and over time it will become more accessible. Dr Sullivan hopes that the general public will have access to a vaccine within a few months.
Baylor Scott & White is the only health center in Brazos Valley currently receiving COVID-19 vaccines. They also point out that the vaccines the hospital received on Thursday are only for frontline workers at Baylor Scott & White. They are not yet accessible to the general public.
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