Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley gets COVID-19 vaccine, urges public to do so as well
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley was publicly vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday in an effort to ensure the public that the vaccine is safe.
“I feel very confident about the vaccine,” Whitley said. “I hope everybody will get out and get the vaccine as soon as absolutely possible.”
Commissioner Roy Brooks was vaccinated after Whitley. They both were eligible to get the shot under Texas’ Phase 1B vaccination plan, which lists people 65 years or older and those over the age of 16 with an underlying health condition as priority groups. Currently, vaccinations are also being administered to healthcare workers and first responders, according to the state’s plan. On Monday, CVS Health began vaccinations in nursing homes across Texas.
The county has set up a website at https://tcph.quickbase.com/db/bq3q4uet8 where those who may qualify for a vaccination can sign up to receive one.
Both Brooks and Whitley will take the next dose of the Moderna vaccine in 28 days.
Overall, Tarrant County Public Health received 4,200 doses and is expected to run out of vaccinations in the next two days. But Tarrant County is expected to receive another 31,825 doses combined of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines during the third week of distribution, the Texas Department of State Health Services said Monday. Providers receiving vaccines include Kroger pharmacies, Cook Children’s Medical Center and John Peter Smith Hospital.
The county has been vaccinating both first responders and those of the general public who qualify as the state has told health officials to vaccinate as many people as possible, said Vinny Taneja, the county’s public health director.
Now that Whitley has been vaccinated, he said he hopes people follow in his footsteps and take the vaccine once it becomes available to them. And to continue leading by example, the judge said he will continue wearing a mask even after he receives the second dose.
“I think this is the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 3:41 PM.
