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COVID-19 vaccines expected soon at H-E-Bs in San Patricio County, officials say

500 doses are on the way to the H‑E‑B in Portland and another 500 are being sent to the grocery company's store in Aransas Pass, according to officials.

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY, Texas — San Patricio County Health Department officials are still waiting on their first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine, but they said it is on the way and could be made available to the public soon.

Police and firefighters in Portland, along with nursing home residents and healthcare providers, have all been afforded the opportunity to get a COVID-19 vaccination in San Patricio County.

However, Health Authority Dr. James Mobley said his County is still waiting on the vaccine to arrive. Mobley said the County is ready to start vaccinating those people who are 65 years and older along with folks who are at high risk due to co-morbidities.

"We are talking to them. I am regularly talking with Dr. Pro, who's my boss down in Region 11," Dr. Mobley said. "Put in a call to Dr. Hellerstedt before they closed on Friday, so I expect that I'll be able to hear from him on Tuesday and we should be able to work something out."

Dr. John Hellerstedt is the commissioner for our state's Department of Health. His agency has two shipments of the vaccine headed to San Patricio County. 

500 doses are on the way to the H‑E‑B in Portland and another 500 are being sent to the grocery company's store in Aransas Pass.

"I expect in the next few days that both of those H-E-B's will start taking appointments for the public for what they call the 1B, which is over 65 and with chronic conditions, so I think we'll start seeing it in the next few days," Mobley said.

However, Mobley said residents shouldn't try to go online just yet to make an appointment.

"They are not going to let people sign up though, until they have the vaccines. So that's why at this time nobody can get in there, which is the frustrating part, you know," Mobley said. "Would be nice if they could sign up and know that eventually their number would come up."

While Nueces County has held several mass vaccination clinics, San Patricio County's health department hasn't been sent its first shipment of the vaccine. 

Dr. Mobley said when it does arrive, he has a vaccination plan in place. It starts with the first round of shots being given to 100 people a day. Then, once they have their system fine-tuned, they will be able to handle more people on a daily basis.

Right now, Dr. Mobley said there are about 40,000 people who need to get the vaccine in San Patricio County.

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.

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