Peterson Health hosting Johnson and Johnson vaccine clinic Thursday

As Kerr County saw its number of active COVID-19 cases in the county increase slightly from the week before, a mass vaccine clinic will be offered this Thursday, May 13, in an effort to curb the future spread of the novel coronavirus.

Peterson Health will administer the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas. Anyone wanting the shot can schedule an appointment on the Peterson Health website at www. petersonhealth.com and click on the link that says “COVID-19 Vaccine Self Scheduler.”

For those without a computer with internet access, appointments can be scheduled by calling (830) 258-7373, and choosing Option 2 weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

As of May 10, the Texas Department of State Health Services Region 8 and Peterson Health are reporting the following: 50 active cases; 4,335 recoveries; 88 deaths; 5 hospitalizations.

The DSHS is reporting that 30,151 total vaccines have been administered to Kerr County residents. This number reflects the number of doses administered, the number of people vaccinated with one dose and the number of people fully vaccinated, aggregated by county of residence.

According to state data, 13,558 Kerr County residents are fully vaccinated and 17,731 county residents have had at least one dose.

The US Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Monday to include people ages 12 to 15. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine in the United States authorized for use in younger teens and adolescents.

The FDA reviewed data submitted by Pfizer. The company said at the end of March that a clinical trial involving 2,260 12-to-15 year-olds showed the vaccine’s efficacy is 100% and is well tolerated.