COVID-19 vaccination availability expands to all adults statewide

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

Yesterday, March 29, the state of Texas opened up COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to those age 16 and up. 

To assist individuals looking for a local appointment to receive a vaccine, the state has launched an online scheduler at  https://getthevaccine.dshs.texas.gov. Those without internet access or need help signing up can call (833) 832-7067, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

The state continues to receive doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, and is distributing to hospitals, pharmacies, local health departments, freestanding ERs, and other clinics. 

Locally, Coryell Health and AdventHealth are two providers of the COVID-19 vaccine. Coryell Health has online registration for the vaccine at https://app.blockitnow.com/consumer/coryell-health. 

AdventHealth also has online registration at https://www.adventhealth.com/coronavirus-resource-hub/sign-latest-corona...

Walmart and H-E-B pharmacies receive vaccines as part of the Federal Retain Pharmacy vaccine distribution program. Walmart pharmacies in Copperas Cove, Gatesville, and Killeen also schedule appointments for the vaccine, administered at no cost. Walmart’s scheduler can be found by visiting www.Walmart.com/covidvaccine. 

H-E-B Pharmacies have a site for vaccine distribution at https://vaccine.heb.com/scheduler.  Those currently eligible to receive the vaccine can sign up on the H-E-B website. 

As with all the above avenues to receive the vaccine, appointments are booked depending on the number of vaccines available in any given week. Vaccinations are available at no cost. 

As of Monday, March 29, there were 84 active cases out of a total of 5,036 in Coryell County. 

Meanwhile, within the Copperas Cove city limits, there were a total of 71 active cases as per the city’s weekly report, released on Monday. 

As of Sunday, estimated active cases in the state of Texas dropped below the 100,000-mark, to 99,685 out of a total 2,386,312 confirmed cases. Hospitalizations statewide for COVID-19 were at 3,104 as of Sunday, at their lowest point since Oct. 2 of last year. In Trauma Service Area L, hospitalizations increased by three to 47, compared to last Wednesday, making up a little more than 4 percent of hospitalizations in the area. 

COVID-19 cases in Central Texas as of March 29

Bell County 264 active cases (21,331 total)  

Burnet County 145 active cases (3,963 total)

Coryell County 94 active cases (5,036 otal)

Copperas Cove (city) 71 active cases (2,702 total)

Lampasas County 6 active cases (2,091 total)

McLennan County 180 active cases (25,991 total)

Williamson County 0 active cases (36,920 total)

Numbers from Texas DSHS, Coryell County, Lampasas County; Bell, McLennan, and Williamson County Public Health Districts