Where things stand in El Paso 2 months into vaccine distribution
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- It has been just over two months since the first doses of a coronavirus vaccine were administered in El Paso.
Since then, more than 105,000 people in El Paso County have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to state data. More than 48,000 people have received both vaccine doses.
El Paso City Manager Tommy Gonzalez told city council on Monday that 7.5% of El Paso residents age 16 and older had been vaccinated.
Gonzalez said 200,000 people are pre-registered for the City of El Paso's vaccine distribution. Gonzalez said the city receives 6,000 first doses each week. 20% of those are reserved for "super seniors," or those age 75 and older. Gonzalez said the city receives 5,000 second doses of the vaccine each week.
Gonzalez also noted that wait times were down at the George Perry vaccination site. He said the site is now averaging a one-hour wait time compared to the previous wait time of two and a half hours.
As vaccine rollout continues and virus trends improve, local leaders are urging the public not to let their guard down.
"We all need to continue taking care of each other because that's the way that we will continue improving in the way that we protect especially those most vulnerable ones," said El Paso Health Authority Dr. Hector Ocaranza. "We're going to be able to see the decline in the number of infections, hospitalized patients and ultimately people dying."
Dr. Ocaranza reminded the community that masking and double masking (the practice of wearing two masks) is still recommended, especially as new virus variants spread in the United States. He said none of the new variants had been identified in the El Paso region yet.
