Williamson County Could Close Mass Vaccine Sites In May

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Williamson County officials are considering closing the county's mass vaccination sites as coronavirus cases drop and more than half of residents have received a first dose of the vaccine.

County Commissioners voted Tuesday to end its contract with Family Hospital Systems on May 12 and with the provider Curative Inc. on May 21.

The health care companies have been handling the mass vaccination sites at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex, Dell Diamond and the Georgetown ISD Athletic Complex.

Commissioners noted the county's vaccine waitlist has been shrinking and the supply of vaccines is greater than the demand.

Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said the county has vaccinated around 375,000 people and its supplies have already caught up with the demand for vaccines.

As it stands, 48 percent of the population has received at least one dose as of Tuesday.

"The mass vaccination sites have served their purpose and our folks have done an amazing job," Gravel said at the commissioner's meeting. "But we're really getting to a point where we don't have enough folks wanting to get shots to justify the mass vaccination sites."

Because of the supplies the county received from the state, Gravell said the county has already shot through its waitlist.

As a result, the county decided to get rid of it altogether and announced Thursday it would no longer add names to its waitlist. Residents, who were not already on the list, would now have to go directly to Curative or other providers in the area if they wanted a vaccine.

More on that story: WilCo Will No Longer Accept Names On Its COVID-19 Vax Waitlist

The county plans to ask the state to ship vaccine doses to local providers, pharmacies and doctor's offices.

Commissioners said they will continue to help vaccinate seniors and other residents who may have been overlooked using the "VaxMob," a mobile team of health care providers that administer vaccines to people who are homebound or can't make it to a vaccine site.

The Vaccine Registration Technical Assistance Sites are expected to close April 30, according to Commissioner Valerie Covey. Those are sites which help people register to get vaccinated and are open in Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park and Taylor.

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