The division mentioned the workers administered 5,451 doses of the vaccine as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, and there was a glitch within the system that brought about it to overbook appointments.
NEW: We’re now not accepting folks at at this time’s #COVID19 vaccination mega website at Minute Maid Park.
We’re unable to accommodate the amount of individuals in line. Our workers is taking names of individuals in line who’ve appointments to re-schedule for a future date. #hounews pic.twitter.com/z2pasRuDaV
— Houston Well being Dept (@HoustonHealth) January 17, 2021
A number of folks left with out getting vaccinated earlier than the overbooking announcement was made as a result of the road outdoors Minute Maid Park wrapped round half of the constructing.
“It looks like it is very unorganized,” mentioned Elizabeth Patterson, who was one of many folks to depart the lengthy line after ready for hours. “What is the level of constructing an appointment if you are going to stand right here for 3 to 4 hours to get in and you then won’t even get it?”
Moayyad Razzok and his spouse, Shatha, mentioned they acquired the primary dose of the Moderna vaccine on the clinic on Saturday. They waited for hours and mentioned it was chilly however applauded the division’s course of.
READ MORE: When can you get the COVID-19 vaccine? Find out where you are in line
“I do not suppose there’s sufficient nurses,” Moayyad mentioned. “It was good, , we are able to get the vaccine, at the very least, right here in Houston. There’s folks all over the world proper now that do not have the possibility to get it.”
At a press convention Saturday afternoon, Stephen Williams, Director of the Houston Well being Division, mentioned earlier this week Mayor Sylvester Turner pushed to get out as many vaccines out this weekend, and the division agreed to manage 5,000 doses.
“Though I mentioned, ‘Mayor if we give out 5,000 (doses), which means we’re not going to have sufficient for the following week,'” Williams mentioned. “However, he insisted that we get out as a lot as we may.”
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Williams went on to say he was happy with the workers, volunteers and companions that helped put their operation collectively to manage the doses on Saturday.
ABC13 put in an inquiry with the Mayor’s workplace and town’s well being division concerning the alleged ‘glitch’ within the system. This was the response from a spokesperson with the Houston Well being Division:
“Our vaccine provide data is on our website. We scheduled approx 5k appointments at this time however went over.
On January 14, the well being division acquired an extra 8,200 doses of vaccine, bringing its complete to 30,350.
As of January 15, the division administered a complete of 21,025 doses at places together with Minute Maid Park, Bayou Metropolis Occasion Middle, its Northside, La Nueva Casa de Amigos, Sharpstown and Sunnyside well being facilities, the JW Peavy Senior Middle, and its Acres Properties, Hiram Clarke and Magnolia multi-service facilities.
Roughly 5,000 persons are scheduled to for vaccination on the well being division’s Minute Maid Park mega website on January 16.
The division additionally transferred a complete of 1,900 doses to different suppliers.”
Turner mentioned on Twitter that town of Houston vaccinated 6,122 folks, and the well being division tried to accommodate everybody who confirmed up. There have been nonetheless many who needed to be rescheduled or turned away.
In the present day at Minutemaid the Metropolis of Houston vaccinated 6122. The Well being Division tried to accommodate everybody who confirmed up and there have been nonetheless many who needed to be rescheduled or turned away. I wish to thank the staff, Astros, HFD, HPD, and Rodeo volunteers. st
— Sylvester Turner (@SylvesterTurner) January 17, 2021
He additionally mentioned earlier on Saturday that the demand for the vaccine was larger than the present provide.
SEE ALSO: Supply will catch up with demand, officials assure Houstonians
“Even when each one in every of you had each on-line system working completely,” Turner mentioned. “Each name in (to the) system was working completely. You’re nonetheless going to have most individuals not capable of get the vaccine as a result of the provision shouldn’t be accessible. You heard that Dr. Williams say that up up to now, town of Houston has acquired just a little greater than 30,000 doses. Now put that in context. There are 2.3 million folks within the metropolis of Houston. There are one other 4 million folks within the county. These doses are made accessible for not simply folks within the metropolis of Houston, however folks within the county and folks within the surrounding area. There’s not sufficient provide for the demand, when everyone is wanting the vaccine proper now. That is not system failure.”
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