US: Houston launches federally managed coronavirus vaccination site

A US federally-supported, state-managed Covid-19 mass vaccination facility was launched in Houston, Texas on Tuesday.

According to officials, the drive-through facility, located in NRG Park in Houston, plans to serve 6,000 people per day, seven days a week. In the first three weeks, it will provide the first doses of vaccine and then transition into second doses in three weeks, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Organizers said at a minimum, the federal site is expected to vaccinate 126,000 people. That's in addition to the county, city, hospital and pharmacy vaccinations that continue to be underway.

During a press conference Monday afternoon, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, vaccination will be prioritized for those who live in the areas hit hard by the virus.

"All of us at the state, federal and local level, we're in agreement that this site has to focus on the folks who've been left behind so far, who've been hit the hardest by Covid-19," KTRL station quoted Hidalgo as saying. "We've done it by finding zip codes with the highest incidence of the virus, and the highest social vulnerability and the social vulnerability index."

Since its announcement a few weeks ago, work has been down to build the temporary mass vaccination facility. "People deserve some good news, some hope," Hidalgo said. "This site marks the biggest effort to date to get our community vaccinated."

The winter storm in the past week has put a hold on Covid-19 vaccines. With better weather and road conditions, vaccines delivery are restoring in Texas.

--IANS

int/rs