By Allan Jamail
Jacinto City, TX. – On Friday, February 26, 2021, hundreds of area residents poured into Jacinto City’s Town Center to receive the life saving COVID-19 virus vaccine. Houston Methodist’s Hospital brought in a crackerjack team of skilled upper management personnel along with experienced nurses and volunteers who spent their day vaccinating those with appointments.
Methodist has gained a reputation for leading in medicine and Friday’s example proved why that’s true. Everyone from the entrance door keepers to the nurses and administrative staff were on-top-of-their-game.
Their staff greeted vaccine recipients at the entrance door and before opening the door for them they took their temperature. Once inside volunteers and staff directed them where to go and had them follow the divided lanes keeping them a safe distance from others. Identities were verified and checked then entered into computers which kept track of each recipient’s processes from getting their shot to then be sent to a room where doctors and nurses monitored their condition to ensure they didn’t have any after-effects or complications. Most of the near 500 recipients that day were in and out in 30 to 40 minutes.
Sonja Jenkins, a 27-year nurse, said, “It’s my pleasure to be a part of this epic endeavor that’s truly a part of history. I’m glad to be doing my part to elevate the pressure on the doctors and nurses of the Immediate Critical Care Units (ICU). The more people we vaccinate the less people in the ICU, I can vaccinate about 175 people a day.”
Chief Ayala didn’t have any immediate complications and days after he said he still experienced no significant after-effects from getting the shot. City Manager Lon Squyres said he hopes those in the city who have been hesitant or worried about taking the vaccine, when they learn of someone like the chief taking it, this might encourage them to take it too. Ayala has served 39 plus years with the police department and is serving in his 20th consecutive year as police chief.
To schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine, use any of the following contacts…
Harris County Public Health (HCPH), call 832-927-8787 and/or the City of Houston, call 832- 393-4220.
Three website registrations:
www.publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/
www.readyharris.org/
www.dshs.texas.gov/