City workers in front get coronavirus vaccine as 6,000 doses arrive at Houston, fire department

HOUSTON Some of the first frontline employees in the city of Houston will receive their coronavirus vaccine on Monday after 6,000 doses arrived at the Houston Department of Health and the Houston Fire Department.

Dr Stephen Williams, director of HHD, said the first shots go to the 260 workers who qualify in Phase 1A. He said the Department of Health is also preparing to administer the vaccine to 365 school nurses in the Houston and Pearland school districts.

Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña said paramedics would be the first people in his department to receive the vaccine. Peña said more than 50% of firefighters said they were interested in receiving the vaccine. He said support staff will be part of the Phase 1B implementation.

More than 400 firefighters have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began. Three firefighters were killed. Peña said a firefighter went to the emergency room on Monday with breathing problems and tested positive for COVID-19.

Dr. Houston Chief Medical Officer David Persse said that although the vaccine is still restricted to people in stages 1A and 1B, it will eventually be rolled out to larger sections of the public.

“When your opportunity comes, please feel comfortable,” Persse said. “Get vaccinated.”

On Monday, Harris County Public Health will administer doses of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine to those eligible for Phase 1A. The HCPH has notified local partners who are eligible for Phase 1A individuals and who are already providing vaccinations to healthcare professionals.

The news about the additional doses in Houston came when new cases of the virus were reported in Houston.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said another 765 cases were reported Monday, bringing the city’s total to 116,043. An additional death was reported, bringing the total number of deaths in the city to 1,544.

Turner said the positivity rate rose to 11.6% on Monday, nearly half a point from last week.

With only three days left in 2020, Houston officials have urged people to keep their gatherings small.

Turner said people should cancel any New Year’s Eve gatherings that require people to gather in large numbers.

The mayor said he is not available on the means for pubs and parties, but he is asking people to exercise personal responsibility in an effort to control the spread of the virus.

“We continue to ask people to realize that if you get close to each other in large numbers without wearing a mask, you’re creating a very bad environment,” Turner said.

Officials also reminded people not to drink and drive, and that fireworks and firearms are banned in Houston.