Hays County began administering COVID-19 vaccines this week and plans to allow residents to sign up for future allotments beginning Friday.
County Judge Ruben Becerra said in a news release Monday that the county anticipates another shipment of vaccine doses from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Hays County residents, who qualify under the DSHS’s Phase 1A and 1B criteria groups, can sign up to be vaccinated at haysinformed.com, beginning at 12 p.m. on Friday, Jan 29. County residents who don’t have access to the internet or a smart phone can call 512-938-1650 to sign up. The county’s vaccine portal will not be available before noon on Friday.
Becerra stated that the county is now using a text alert system to notify residents of COVID-related information. Text COVID to 844-928-3213 to sign up for alerts.
“By signing up, you will know what’s happening when future rounds of vaccine appointments will open,” Becerra said.
Monday’s announcement comes after the county held its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic earlier in the day. Hays County received 1,950 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses from the DSHS last week. When the county opened its vaccine portal on Jan. 22, all appointments were accounted for in under 20 minutes.
Becerra said the county’s initial vaccine rollout is constrained because of limited vaccine quantity and a demand that “far exceeds supply.”
“We anticipate more shipments of vaccine doses in the coming weeks, which will help,” the county judge said.
According to the DSHS, 10,350 Hays County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while only 1,704 residents are considered fully vaccinated as of Tuesday.
The DSHS estimates that there is an estimated population of 183,387 county residents who are 16 years or older.
With only 1,950 vaccine doses recently allocated to the county, health department Director Tammy Crumley is asking residents to be patient until additional doses are received.
“As a hub, we are looking forward to offering more vaccines,” Crumley said. “The reality of the situation is, we have very limited supply.”
Emergency Operations Mike Jones said vaccines will continue to be distrubed by appointment for the foreseeable future.
“We will only accept appointments and are asking the public not to show up at a location without,” Jones said. “We are also asking for the public’s help in ensuring we strictly follow the protocols in place.”
According to the state, only groups 1A — frontline health care workers and residents of a long-term care facility — and 1B, which consists of those who are 65 years and older and people 16 years and older who have a chronic medical condition such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, are currently eligible to receive the vaccine.
Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Villalobos said during Tuesday’s commissioners court meeting that the upcoming vaccine clinics will take place at the Hays Consolidated ISD Performing Arts Center — 979 Kohlers Crossing —in Kyle on Feb. 1 and 2.
With limited vaccine supply, county officials are urging residents to continue practicing COVID-19 safety precautions, including regular hand washing, wearing masks and avoiding gatherings with people who are not in your household.
