Imagine a public health crisis in the middle of a huge weather event. That's exactly what on Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's mind.
Storms are expected this weekend and there's always the possibility that some people may need to go to shelters. "Part of preparing for hurricane season is getting vaccinated. Nobody plans to end up in a shelter, but if you do you're going to want to have that vaccine, and this is not going to be the last storm that comes our way during the hurricane season."
Hidalgo Thursday activated the county's Emergency Operation Center to level three, just in case the storm called Ida veers off path and hits Southeast Texas.
She says they are under the same protocols as last hurricane seas. They are in touch with the Red Cross in terms of isolating anybody who may have the virus or who may have a higher temperature. People who come to shelters will be screened for Covid-19 and there will be a preference for hotels shelters over mass shelters. "If we have impacts that are substantial enough, we would end up in a situation where we have to put a large number of people in one place. All the precautions are going to be there, but the sure fire way to prevent getting Covid in a shelter is to get your vaccine and we're asking folks to do that."
Hidalgo announced the expansion of the county's $100 vaccine incentive program to any facility in the county. She says vaccine rates have gone up six fold since the incentive program took effect. Hidalgo adds that on Tuesday, 3,400 people got their first dose, a 706% increase to daily rates before the program.
She adds that 70% of the residents 12 and up have gotten at least one shot and 58% are fully vaccinated.
The city of Houston is also offering a vaccine incentive program.
