BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas — UPDATE:
The Brazos County Health District announced Thursday the closure of the Brazos County Vaccination Hub.
The Vaccination Hub closed its doors Thursday after administering a total of 100,719 COVID-19 vaccine doses, 52,444 of which were first doses.
Health Authority Dr. Seth Sullivan said there are no current plans to reopen the Vaccination Hub at this time though with the consistent uncertainty of the virus including whether booster shots will be a necessity in the near future, plans may change.
Sullivan credits the volunteer staff and workers for getting 33.9% of Brazos County residents vaccinated though stopped short of calling the overall effort a success. The State of Texas' current vaccination rate is 35.7%
"We have work to do still," Sullivan said.
Sullivan addressed concerns over vaccinations and hesitancy among residents adding he understands the apprehension. He urges residents to speak with their doctors, physicians and other professionals for reassurance. Sullivan said he's met many former skeptics who are now vaccinated and thankful for it.
Sullivan wants COVID cases, which new ones continue to be announced daily, to decrease by the fall for the upcoming flu season. Press conferences like the one today and encouraging vaccination efforts in independent and private facilities will hopefully help increase public interest and outreach.
College Station emergency management coordinator Tradd Mills said it’s been a true honor and he loved meeting everyone who came through the hub, either to get a shot or to volunteer.
"The American Red Cross has provided us with well over 2,000 volunteers, if I’m not mistaken it’s probably closer to 3,000 volunteers,” Mills said. “It’s been an absolute joy getting to meet each and every one of them and getting to work with each and every one of them. It’s been a blessing.”
A.J. Reynolds, Executive director of the American Red Cross Heart of Texas chapter, said when the red cross was initially asked to help with this effort. They took a huge leap on humanity and this community, trusting people would step up.
Here they are three months later and Reynold said they’ve completed their mission.
“I am extremely proud of this community, it makes me, you know, nearly tear up and smile at the same time that everyone stepped up day after day,” Reynolds said. “I just want to say thank you to everyone that made it happen.”
15 minutes after opening its doors, the 35th person to walk inside received the Hub's 100,00th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
76-year-old Carol Murphy was the registered nurse who administered the 100 thousandth dose and she said it was a very emotional moment.
"To realize I had an opportunity to impact people’s lives and be part of this organization of many, many people, it’s like a chain, we’re all just as important as the other link,” Murphy said. “It was a great opportunity for me to be able to participate in that.”
As of today, 254 lives have been lost to the Coronavirus.
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The Brazos County Health District will be hosting a news conference on Thursday, June 3. Health Authority director Dr. Seth Sullivan will be discussing vaccines and summer travel.
The news conference comes after the Health District administered its 100,000 COVID-19 dose Thursday by Carol Murphy, a resident nurse who has assisted at the Brazos County Vaccination Hub since the opening in January.
The Health District also announced they will no longer be reporting daily COVID-19 cases directly to the press and instead updated the COVID-19 dashboard as cases continue to fall.
15 new cases of COVID-19 were reported Thursday bringing the total number of cases to 174.