With the waiting list for a vaccine in Dallas County now a million people long, those with time are hitting the road.
Many make the drive on I-45 to Corsicana for about an hour or so, a small pocket with small-town charm, and more importantly, a good supply of vaccines.
“We get an allocation of about 1,500 shots every week,” said Fire Chief Paul Henley.
Henley is in charge of the Navarro County Vaccination Clinic, which is staffed with Corsicana firefighters, police officers, volunteers and nursing students from Navarro College.
In recent weeks, Henley said they could send invitations almost immediately to anyone who signed up on the county portal.
Recently, these are also those who are not yet eligible.
He said that about 80% of those they saw were not residents of the province.
“We’ve had them drive up from even Georgetown, San Antonio, to take the picture, which is heartening because we know we’re doing well for a lot of people,” Henley said.
Stephanie Mears and Joshua Hernandez said it was about a two-hour drive for them as they fought the traffic coming out of the colony.
Still, they will tell you it was worth it.
“I think we’re excited and happy,” Mears said.
“It’s a bit unreal,” said Hernandez.
After watching the family struggle to find a vaccine, the couple were willing to do whatever it took to get an injection that would protect not only them, but their loved ones as well.
And under the guidance of health officials in DFW’s largest municipalities, that meant registering for the vaccine everywhere instead of waiting in locations that could take weeks.
“We saw some signs from Oklahoma in the parking lot. So there is an absolute need and demand for it, ”said Hernandez.
Henley said they would like to help in Navarro County.
“We want to be a great steward of our assets and be all we can be to the state of Texas and our citizens,” Henley said.
Still, he said they’ve started discussions about how long it makes sense to keep a site open there.
In Navarro County, they rely on more limited resources in a smaller community to now serve populations from larger ones.
That’s why Henley has turned to the county to see how both his vaccination assignment and his team can best help the Texans in this regard.
Henley said one possibility is to create another hub closer to the metroplex.
And for some who have taken the ride, that makes sense.
“I know there are people who don’t have the luxury of driving for two hours or are unable to drive, so we’re lucky in that sense. But we look forward to making it more accessible to more people, ”said Mears.
But until then, as and when it does, Henley said Navarro County remains committed to helping Texas get through the end of this crisis.
The Navarro County Vaccine Clinic is open Wednesdays and Thursdays. Click here to sign up for a vaccine in Navarro County.