Texas County offers Phase 1a and 1b vaccinations
Photos by Shari Harris
By Shari Harris, Publisher
On Friday, Feb. 5, Texas County Memorial Hospital and the Texas County Health Department teamed up with the Missouri National Guard, the Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), the Texas County Emergency Management Director, Texas County Technical College students, and local law enforcement to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to members of the public in the Phase 1a and Phase 1b categories. Members of the MSHP, Texas County Sheriff’s Department, and Houston Police Department helped with traffic control as people lined up early for the 1100 available vaccines. Piney River Ford, the City of Houston, and a Mountain Grove business provided UTV’s to assist people from their cars to the Community Center as needed.
Cars were met before parking and those wanting vaccinations were provided with a card showing a time for their injection. At their allotted time, participants went to the door of the Community Center, where they were screened, and then registered inside and the vaccination was provided. After a 15-minute wait to ensure no reactions would occur, participants were released.
Eight stations were giving shots, and 18 TCTC nursing students with two instructors were helpful in screening patients, drawing up and/or dispensing the shots. The Missouri National Guard and others set up a workstation on the stage to complete the data entry component of the vaccinations. A pharmacist was also present to assist.
