UNT Health Science Center and Tarrant County have expanded a partnership to reach areas with lower rates of COVID-19 vaccinations. Wednesday, they opened a vaccination site at Ridgmar Mall in West Fort Worth.
"The smaller venues are important now because many people need access in their community," says UNT Health Science Center Chief Strategy Officer Sylvia Trent-Adams. "The larger sites were great for the volume we needed as we started to see vaccine programs roll out. Now, we're seeing more people need access where they live, work and play, and we want to make sure that anyone who wants the vaccine has access to it in their community."
UNT Health Science Center and Tarrant County had previously opened vaccination sites in the Stop Six area of Fort Worth and in Saginaw, in northern Tarrant County. Trent-Adams says the organization follows data on case numbers, hospitalizations and vaccination rates by zip code.
"We want to make sure the area of west of 35 has access to the vaccine," she says. "We know there are some gaps in coverage for completed vaccines and registrations in the zip codes in this particular area."
The Fort Worth Fire Department will be working with UNT Health Science Center to administer the vaccine at the former H&M clothing store at Ridgmar Mall. Chief Jim Davis says a "brick and mortar" structure can provide a more stable environment than a drive-thru clinic or tents set up in a parking lot.
"The reason, to me, that's so important is to make sure that, as we move into storm season, we're not asking people to come to a drive-thru, outdoor clinic in poor weather," Davis says.
UNT Health Science Center and Tarrant County have already opened vaccination sites in Stop Six at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church at 4910 Dunbar St., Fort Worth, TX 76105 and at Saginaw Recreation Center at 633 W. McLeroy Blvd. Saginaw, TX 76179.
The site at Ridgmar Mall is the first in the partnership that will serve walk-ups, but reservations are encouraged. The vaccination site can handle up to 600 people per day. Reservations are still required in Saginaw and Stop Six.
Trent-Adams says the pause in use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may have led to fewer people registering.
"Across the nation, not unique to Tarrant County, we are seeing some decrease in vaccine registration," she says. "We're starting to see a decline in registrations because some people may have medical mistrust, they don't trust the medical system in general. There's also vaccine hesitancy. There are people who don't believe the vaccine was done in a safe way, or they are very leery of vaccines in general. I think that's a lot of the challenge we're facing right now, but it's important for everyone to have access to the vaccine when it becomes available."
UNT Health Science Center and Tarrant County have set up a registration site. People can now choose the location, day and time of their appointment by visiting tarrantcountystrong.com.
Vaccines at Ridgmar Mall are available 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
