3rd Coronavirus Vaccination Site Opens In North Travis County

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Public Health is opening a third vaccination site in northern Travis County to improve access to the coronavirus vaccine across the region, officials said Friday.

But the location of the site is secretive, officials suggested in an advisory, to be shared only with those who have appointments. Moreover, officials said the new site also will be by appointment only, and will not accept walk-ups.

Austin Public Health began to provide second doses to those who received their first doses in the first allocation from the Texas Department of State Health Services, officials noted. These individuals are in Phase 1A and include nursing home residents and staff not covered by the state program, Austin Public Health and other healthcare workers administering vaccine and conducting COVID-19 testing and first responders.

Residents who have received their first vaccine through Austin Public Health will be proactively contacted when it is time for them to schedule their second dose, officials noted. As a reminder, individuals do not need to get their second dose precisely four weeks after their first dose (for Moderna). The vaccine will be equally effective if they receive it up to 40 days later, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more vaccine information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the city's COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs portal. The website is updated regularly.

As of Friday, Austin Public Health officials said some 30,000 first doses of the vaccine have been administered. There are about 80,000 individuals who have signed up through the APH pre-registration site who fit into Phase 1A or 1B, officials noted, and more than 500,000 in 1A or 1B in Austin-Travis County.

"We are asking the public to be patient with our teams, as the vaccine doses are still very limited," Austin Public Health officials wrote in an advisory. "APH is seeking to vaccinate the community as equitably and efficiently as possible. While the vaccine is still limited in Austin-Travis County, we will continue to survey the community to identify those in Phase 1A and 1B. DSHS has informed APH that they will receive 12,000 doses for the week of Feb. 1."

Operational Adjustments

To better utilize APH’s resources, the Givens and Little Walnut Creek COVID-19 test sites are closed. These closures will not impact the number of tests APH can provide in a week, which is still approximately 11,000. Individuals with insurance are encouraged to get tested through their doctor or pharmacy. The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has contracted with a new vendor for the Pflugerville test site. Individuals will still be required to make an appointment; the new URL to register for a test is: texas.spartancovidtesting.com. The new operating hours for the site are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.