El Paso receiving highest number of vaccine doses yet, but many shot-seekers still frustrated

EL PASO, Texas -- The state of Texas has allocated nearly 600,000 first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for this coming week, with El Paso receiving 16,190 of those - its highest number yet.

All but 2,000 of those doses are going to the two big vaccination hubs. The City of El Paso is expected to get 6,000 while University Medical Center has been allocated 8,000. UMC is expecting to receive their doses on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Once UMC receives this allotment, it will open up registration both online and via phone - a system that has left many frustrated, but one that county leaders say is the best option.

"UMC will not take appointments until we know what we have,” El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said. “That takes a lot of anxiety out of it for a person because then I know if I do or don't have it and then I can register somewhere else."

While the demand right now for the vaccine is higher than the volume of doses the county is receiving, officials are expecting to see the new Johnson and Johnson one-dose vaccine as early as the first week of March. 

Samaniego said that will be “exciting” because in addition to being a one-dose shot, it also doesn’t have to be stored and cooled like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

"No matter what, we've gotta get that vaccine,” Samaniego said. “We can't be questioning Johnson and Johnson, just whatever opportunity we have to get ahead of the new strain and it's proven that you just won't have severity."

El Paso County has also put together a plan that aims at reaching the most vulnerable people in rural areas. Under that plan, Desert Imaging would provide 3 to 4 mobile units and drivers to distribute the vaccine, while UMC would provide the personnel to administer the shots.

The county is also pushing hard for the vaccines to be a bi-national solution alongside El Paso's sister Mexican city Juarez, but the judge said he’s having a hard time getting anyone else to understand the need for such an effort. 

While UMC is sticking to their current registration process, officials said the hospital is working with the City of El Paso to potentially form a centralized registration system.