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Paulette Ladach tries to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine through a site created by Austin Public Health.
Since providers in Central Texas began administering COVID-19 vaccines in December, many residents have been wondering who can get one, where they can get it and whether it s safe.
Health officials in Austin sought to shed some light on those questions during a virtual town hall Wednesday.
They assured those watching that the vaccine is safe and effective, but said it’s not a free pass to stop social distancing and masking. Dr. Jason Reichenberg, president of Ascension Medical Group Texas, said people are not fully immune the first few weeks after getting the vaccine.
UpdatedFri, Jan 15, 2021 at 12:20 pm CT
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The downtown site typically serving as community focal point has been transformed into an alternative care site for coronavirus patients. (Tony Cantú/Patch staff)
AUSTIN, TX The Austin Convention Center a portion of which has been modified as an alternative care site for residents suffering from the coronavirus is now ready to take in patients from local hospitals, officials said Tuesday.
The makeshift clinic is designed to alleviate the burden of caring for coronavirus patients in hospitals across Central Texas, officials explained in an advisory. The facility was established to take specific patients needing a lower intensity of care, according to the advisory. Patients needing higher-level or intensive care will still be cared for at hospitals, officials added.
Pre-registration for the vaccine through the city's public health agency is now open. But it will mainly serve patients who have no other provider options.