Dozens of citizens growing up in Texas luxury received COVID-19 vaccines in the first wave of the state.
The Houston Downtown Montebello condominium complex features marble tile floors, an outdoor pool, valet parking, a concierge service and a 24/7 security guard. It has apartments that can be sold for up to 4.8 millions of dollars.
And in the last two weeks or so 60 residents were immunized against the virus, the Daily Beast reported.
In Harris County, where Houston is located, there are more than 237,000 confirmed cases, one-sixth of all infections in the state.
But thousands of high-risk health workers have struggled to get their vaccines because of rapidly depleting hospitals.
About 60 residents of the luxury Montebello condominium complex (pictured) in downtown Houston received COVID-19 vaccines
The general manager of Montebello said that the state has authorized the vaccines and that the building works with a distributor. Pictured: An interior of one of the Montebello apartments for sale
However, a spokesman for the Houston Department of Health said he was unaware of any arrangements with the tall building. Pictured: outdoor pool available to all residents
Meanwhile, health workers have struggled to get their vaccines because of rapidly depleting hospitals. Pictured: Healthcare worker receives Modern COVID-19 vaccine at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, December 21
“The state of Texas has authorized it,” Montebello CEO Daniel Hancock told the Daily Beast.
“We work with a distributor … It’s a blessing that we managed to get it.”
Hancock did not name the distributor, and Montebello is not on the Texas Department of Health Services (DSHS) list of providers to whom COVID-19 vaccines have been assigned.
However, he told the publication that the building managed to get jab doses due to the elderly population, although it is not clear how many elderly people live in the building.
One of the residents to be inoculated, 68-year-old David Fink, told the Daily Beast that it is not the only healthcare service he has received through the building.
He also gets his flu shot every year, being a resident of Montebello.
In Harris County, where Houston is located, there are more than 237,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, one-sixth of all infections in the state (above)
“Everything was on the plate,” he said.
Both Hancock and Fink told the Daily Beast that other apartment buildings in Houston have similar arrangements to get coronavirus doses to their residents.
Neither the Texas DSHS nor the Houston Department of Health (HHD) responded to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
However, an HHD spokesman told the Daily Beast that he was unaware of any high-growth arrangements.
“All distributors must register through the state health department,” said Porfirio Villareal.
“The apartment complex is not an authorized supplier. If a site is not approved, is not on the list and receives vaccine deliveries, then our recommendation is not to go to that site. “
The Texas DSHS list lists only recipients of hospitals, medical centers, pharmacies, and residential centers.
However, only 40 percent – 340,000 – of the 786,000 doses distributed statewide were administered.
In Harris County, where Houston is located, only about 52,000 of the 150,500 doses were given.
Many say they have struggled to find a provider to get the vaccine, despite DSHS recommending that Texans call and ask to receive a vaccine.
“I couldn’t find anyone with the vaccine,” Michael Calder, an Allen resident who meets the state’s criteria, told CBS DFW.
He called three locations, two of which told him they were exhausted and one that said only employees were vaccinated.
– It’s extremely important. I don’t want to get sick, ‘he said.
“I don’t want to be the last person to get sick and die, while a vaccine is already being distributed.”
This prompted Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to authorize HHD to open the city’s first free vaccination clinic on Jan. 2 for those at high risk of serious illness and death.