Tarrant County adds COVID-19 vaccine partner to assist with higher demand, more doses
Tarrant County has sought the help of a private company to administer shots as more coronavirus vaccines are expected to arrive and the next eligibility phase is set to open soon.
The county commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to bring Curative Medical Associates of Texas into the county’s fray of vaccine distribution preparedness. For now, Curative and its services will be on hold until the county needs them.
With President Joe Biden promising that every American can get the vaccine by mid-May, the county urging everyone to register and the next phase opening soon in Texas, the county must be prepared, said Vinny Taneja, the county’s public health director.
The company is expected to provide staffing for vaccination sites, put up new sites and quickly increase the number of how many vaccinations the county can administer per day, according to the agreement between Curative and the county.
The partnership with Curative allows the county to be ready to inoculate thousands of people quickly once more vaccines come to the county, county judge Glen Whitley said. There are no details on how much staff the company can provide or where it would set up sites.
The agreement will cost the county nothing because Curative will seek federal programs for reimbursement and bill insurance companies. The company is also working with Collin and Williamson counties with their vaccination efforts.
Commissioner Roy Brooks asked why the county needed this partnership if it already gave UNT Health Science Center $2.5 million to do a similar job and take over the county’s vaccination plan.
The answer from multiple county officials was that the county needs options.
“It’s one more tool in the box,” Whitley said.
This story was originally published March 9, 2021 at 5:18 PM.
