The Texas Health District is delaying the dose of COVID-19 vaccines until after Christmas

Williamson County and City Health District received 900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday and then closed its offices for Christmas.

District officials said Thursday that the vaccine arrived earlier than expected and that it was impossible to speed up vaccine administration plans as of Saturday. But the move provoked strong disapproval from local leaders, who felt that health officials were shying away from their duties by not administering doses of the vaccine quickly.

“In fact, we have the tool in our toolbox and we’re hanging on to it,” Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said. He criticized district officials for taking time off while first-aiders from suburban county in central Texas, home of Round Rock, continued to work.

“I am deeply disappointed,” he added.

Gravell said he urged the health district to quickly administer the vaccine to those eligible, including front-line health workers and first aid. But district clinics will not reopen until Saturday.

Health district spokeswoman Deb Strahler said Tuesday evening the district was told no shipment of vaccine doses would arrive on Wednesday, so the team was surprised when it did. Planning efforts ended Tuesday and include four consecutive days of vaccination starting Saturday at 7:30 p.m., he said.

“We felt it was important to be consistent and not create last-minute changes that would generate potential chaos, reduce participation and increase the potential for vaccine dose loss, which should be administered within six hours of the opening of a road, ”Strahler said.

Strahler defended the district’s decision to close for vacation.

“Our vaccine operations are based on shift shifts that worked best for partner agencies and our staff will work during the holiday weekend during their usual rest schedule,” he said.

Texas health officials reserved the first doses of the vaccine for front-line health workers and for residents and long-term care staff.

The health district said it will vaccinate firefighters involved in emergency services, such as prehospital care, end-users who provide services for those with COVID-19, and school nurses who care for students and teachers.

Doses of the COVID-19 vaccine first arrived in Texas last week, marking a historic milestone in the fight against coronavirus, even the state is battling a wave of new cases and hospitalizations towards the holidays.

The monumental task of administering vaccines to all those who want them can take six to nine months.

Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas State Department of Health Services, urged earlier this week providers who received shipments of the vaccine to act “with a sense of urgency” in vaccinating those who be willing and eligible.

“The purpose of this letter is to reiterate that we are directing all entities to which the vaccine has been assigned to administer their entire distribution with deliberate promptness,” Hellerstedt wrote. “Keep in mind that more vaccines will be delivered in the coming days, weeks and months. Now is the time to vaccinate volunteers. “