Fayette County Emergency Management Chief Craig Moreau issued the following news release last week:
“Vaccines are available at many locations in our area. Week by week, the supply is increasing. Our dedicated healthcare workers and community volunteers are to be commended for their continuing dedication to provide rapid and convenient options for Fayette County residents. We also thank the National Guard 136th Medical Group, the Texas Department of Emergency Management, and the Texas Medical Task Force for all of their hard work in our county.
“To date, 9,888 of an estimated 20,879 residents over the age of 16 have received at least their first vaccine or are fully vaccinated. This equates to 49.44 percent of eligible residents with resistance to COVID-19. Our rates of hospitalization and our infection rates continue to decline, and local resources are managing very well with the current case load.
“Residents are reminded to continue efforts to practice good distancing and hygiene efforts and to check on neighbors and loved ones who may need assistance as long as the infection is prevalent in our community.”
“Please see the volunteer opportunities section for ways you can help with the efforts.”
Sign up at www.warncentraltexas.org to receive alerts for all important events and emergencies in Fayette County.
Johnson & Johnson update: The CDC and FDA announced Tuesday morning, April 13 that they recommended a pause in the use of the vaccine to review data related to six cases of blood clots reported after taking the shot. Out of seven million doses in the U.S., these cases were found in women ages 18-48 within six to 13 days of vaccination.
Although rare, the clots in the brain were severe. Symptoms included bad headaches, leg and abdominal pain, and shortness of breath. Spokespersons expected the pause to last only a matter of days and there wasn’t a mandate to stop using the vaccine.
Noted in the announcement, the vast majority of vaccinations in the U.S., some 180 million, have used Moderna or Pfizer with no such cases reported. “The State notified me (Tues
“The State notified me (Tuesday) morning that, out of an abundance of caution, all Johnson and Johnson shot clinics have been placed on hold, Moreau said.
Therefore, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine clinic scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at the Fayette County Fairgrounds has been cancelled, according to county officials.
Local Vaccine Options
FLATONIA
• Your Hometown Pharmacy (formerly called Main Street Pharmacy) is receiving Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines. Call 361-865-3554 for more information.
SCHULENBURG
• Apothecary is receiving Johnson and Johnson and hopes to receive Moderna soon. Call 979- 743-3265 for more information or to be placed on the waiting list.
• Your Hometown Pharmacy is receiving Moderna and Johnson and Johnson. Call 979-743-7100 for information or to be placed on the waiting list.
LA GRANGE
• St. Mark’s Medical Center has Moderna available now and may have Johnson and Johnson in the future. Register at www.smmctx. org and click on “Covid Vaccine” or call 979-242-2325. They will be hosting two very large events soon.
> A very large Moderna firstdose, drive-through clinic will be held Friday, April 16 at the Fayette County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Please pre-register at www.smmctx.org or call 979-242-2325. > A Moderna second-dose
> A Moderna second-dose clinic will be held Monday, April 19 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. for those who already were vaccinated at the previous drive-through on the 22nd of last month.
> A Pfizer shot clinic will be held from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, April 17 at the Fairgrounds, specifically for 16- and 17-year-olds. Only 100 doses are available so it’s a firstcome, first-serve basis. A parent must accompany the teenager.
• La Grange Family Health was recently approved to receive vaccines and hope to have deliveries of both Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines soon. Call 979- 968-8493 for information or to be placed on the waiting list.
• Tejas Healthcare is expecting to receive more Moderna vaccines soon. Go to https://tejashealthcare.org/ or call 979-968-2000 to register.
• H-E-B La Grange is getting regular shipments of both Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines. Go to heb.com/vaccine or call 1-800-811-8620 for more information. If you have a special circumstance and need to talk to a local pharmacist, call 979-968-8381.
• Walmart-La Grange is receiving regular shipments of Johnson and Johnson. Go to www.walmart. com/covidvaccine to schedule an appointment. For those without internet access, call the pharmacy directly.
Mass Events and Hubs
• Fayette County Fairgrounds in La Grange:
> April 16 – estimated 1,000 Moderna first-dose vaccines (register through St. Mark’s);
> April 19 – second-dose vaccines for those who received their first vaccine on March 22.
• Washington County Fairgrounds in Brenham – first-dose vaccines are given every Tuesday and second-dose vaccines are given every Wednesday. You can register on-site or pre-register at www.localevent.info or call 979- 421-4131.
Bedbound, homebound, or similar patients
• Email craig.moreau@ co.fayette.tx.us with names, address and the best contact phone numbers. At-home vaccines will be scheduled as the need arises.
Volunteer/assistance needs
• Volunteers are needed April 15-20 to help set-up, tear-down, direct traffic, paperwork, and administer vaccines.
• Businesses or individuals are needed to feed military personnel and volunteers April 16, 17, and 19.
If you would like to help, show off your barbecue skills, or donate meat, sides, or disposable goods, please email Dawn Moore at dawn. moore@co.fayette.tx.us.
“The Moderna shot clinic scheduled for this Friday may be one of the last opportunities for people to get vaccinated in a drive-through clinic,” Moreau said. “The hub in Washington County has notified us that they are going to close their shot clinic at the end of the month. We will hold one more seconddose clinic in May for people who receive their first shot on Friday, but we are reevaluating the need for these large drive-through clinics. Our goal from the beginning of the vaccine effort has been to get vaccines to the doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies that know their patients best. We are close to making this goal a reality.”