Matagorda, Liberty counties open COVID-19 vaccinations to all adults at select locations

President Biden says we’re about to meet the goal of vaccinating 100 million people nationwide. He also wants states to open up vaccinations to everyone by May 1.

Here in Texas only those 50 and older, health care workers and those with certain medical conditions can get the vaccine, according to the priority groupings. On Thursday and Friday two counties said they had enough vaccine from a specific allotment to offer the vaccine to all adults, for a specific two-day event.

One of those was Matagorda County. The Matagorda County Fairgrounds has been converted into a vaccine drive-thru.

“Here we find ourselves today with an abundance of vaccine,” said Mitch Thames, the Matagorda County public information officer.

It’s the first vaccine drive-thru for the county and grew almost overnight.

“(When) we started off, it was going to be appointment only with 500 vaccines,” said Thames.

But that allotment tripled in size to 1,500 doses. So instead of just vaccinating certain groups, they’re able to open this two-day event to anyone age 16 and older with underlying conditions.

While you may wonder how they’re able to open it up to everyone, when the state limits who can get it, Thames addressed that.

“This event is being run by the state. This is the National Guard coming down,” said Thames.

Thames says the influx is supply is welcome.

“We have had a little bit of a desert of vaccines in the past,” he said.

In fact, he says they went weeks without getting any vaccine.

“Which was a little concerning to us and we reached out to some of our elected officials but I feel like this amount coming to us at this event is really making up to us for some shortages, let’s say, in the past,” said Thames.

Liberty County’s emergency management said something similar. It had previous received very limited vaccine and then got more and was able to vaccine anyone 18 and older at two sites.

To be clear, the counties are opening up vaccine to everyone just at these events, not across the board.

Matagorda County plans to vaccinate people on Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Fairgrounds at 4522 FM 2668 in Bay City, Texas. You must bring an ID.

Liberty County has one event on Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dayton Community Center while vaccine supply lasts.
RELATED VACCINE STORIES:

County-by-county breakdown on COVID-19 vaccine distributions

Track COVID-19 vaccine availability and progress across Houston

Coronavirus Houston: Answers to common COVID-19 vaccine questions

When can you get the COVID-19 vaccine? Find out where you are in line

What’s inside the COVID-19 vaccine and how does it work?