Turner says future vaccine megasites depend on supply

HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday that future megasites from the coronavirus vaccine will depend on the supply of doses the city receives.

Turner said the city received 8,000 doses on Friday morning, allowing the city to open an additional 1,000 time slots at Saturday’s megavaccination site at Minute Maid Park, where a total of 3,852 people were shot.

The mayor said he wants to open megasites on the north and south sides of the city as soon as possible, but is hesitant to announce more detailed plans because he is not sure if the city will get another vaccine shipment this week.

“We need everyone to work with a great sense of urgency,” Turner said.

Turner said demand for the vaccine far exceeds the amount of vaccine available. Turner said as soon as more doses of the vaccine are received, the city will begin opening additional appointment spaces.

Stephen Williams, director of the Houston Department of Health, said of the more than 22,000 vaccines the city has received, 14,297 have been administered and 1,900 have been transferred to other providers to help ensure fair distribution. of vaccines.

The Houston Department of Health reported an additional 1,460 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to more than 131,000. Three additional deaths were also reported, including Jose Rubio, a 27-year veteran of the city’s Department of Public Works, who raised the total death toll in Houston to 1,600.

Turner said coronavirus-related hospitalizations are rapidly approaching levels reached during the summer hike.

Dr. David Persse, chief physician in Houston, said that with a current positivity rate of 17.4%, he believes hospitalizations will soon surpass the figures seen in the summer.

“Hospitals are really in a very tense position right now,” Persse said.

Officials again urged people to wear masks, wash their hands, keep their distance, avoid large meetings and get tested.