With the waiting list for a vaccine in Dallas County, now a million people long, those in time are on their way.
Many make an hour’s walk on I-45 to Corsicana, a small pocket with the charm of small towns and, more importantly, a large amount of vaccine.
“We get an allocation of about 1,500 shots each week,” said fire chief Paul Henley.
Henley is in charge of running the Navarro County immunization clinic, equipped with Corsicana firefighters, police officers, volunteers and nursing students from Navarro College.
In the last few weeks, Henley said they were able to send invitations almost immediately to everyone registered on the county portal.
Recently, those who are not yet eligible are included.
He said that about 80% of those they saw were from county residents.
“We got them from Georgetown, San Antonio, to get the shot, and that’s encouraging, because we know we’re doing good for a lot of people,” Henley said.
Stephanie Mears and Joshua Hernandez said it was about a two-hour drive for them as they struggled with traffic coming from Cologne.
However, they will tell you that it was worth it.
“I think we’re excited and we’re happy,” Mears said.
“It’s a little surreal,” Hernandez said.
After watching the family struggle to find a vaccine, the couple was willing to do whatever it took to get a shot that would protect not only them but their loved ones.
And with the guidance of health officials in DFW’s largest municipalities, this meant registering for the vaccine everywhere, rather than waiting on sites that could take weeks.
“I saw some Oklahoma plates in the parking lot. So there is definitely a desire and a demand for this, “Hernandez said.
In Navarro County, Henley said they are happy to help.
“We want to be a great administrator of our assets and be whatever we can be for the state of Texas and for our citizens,” Henley said.
However, he said discussions have begun about how long it makes sense to keep a site open there.
In Navarro County, it relies on more limited resources in a smaller community to now help serve the largest populations.
That’s why Henley appealed to the county to see how both his vaccine allocation and his team can best serve Texans at this time.
Henley said one possibility is to create another hub closer to the metroplex.
And for some who have made unity, that makes sense.
“I know that there are people who do not have the luxury of driving for two hours or are not able to drive, so we are lucky in this regard. But we look forward to making it more accessible to more people, ”said Mears.
But until then, if and when it happens, Henley said Navarro County remains committed to helping Texas get through the end of this crisis.
The Navarro County Vaccine Clinic is open Wednesday and Thursday. Click here to register for a vaccine in Navarro County.