Kerr County leaders address vaccine distribution questions

On Friday, Kerr County will debut an information-only call center which will be open Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The contact numbers are (830) 315-5900, 315-5901, 315-5902, 315-5903, 315-5904.

In the meantime, Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas says that anyone who wants to know the most up-to-date information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine should register for the free CodeRed system by visiting https://www.co.kerr.tx.us/eservices/. Also, the link to CodeRed is on the City of Kerrville website https://www.kerrvilletx.gov/ under the “Helpful Links” at the bottom of the home page.

Kerrville Mayor Bill Blackburn stressed that local officials have been in constant contact with elected officials, state department officials and the governor’s office in regards to the county receiving shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine. Peterson Regional Medical Center CEO Corey Edmondson said that Kerr County is contemplating the possibility of becoming a “hub” in the Hill Country with the hope of being able to administer up to 1,000 shots daily once the vaccine arrives.

According to Kerrville Fire Chief Eric Maloney, January 19 saw a peak in active cases with approximately 500, but there are now about 350 coronavirus cases in the county. Due to the shortage of vaccines, the county is still in the process of vaccinating the area’s 3,400 healthcare workers which fall into the Phase 1A category. Kerr County has roughly 14,000 citizens who classify in the Phase 1B category, which includes those 65 years of age and older.

There are two upcoming free COVID-19 testing clinics scheduled for the area:

FEBRUARY 1-5: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Hill Country Youth Event Center, Kerrville

FEBRUARY 15-18: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, Fredericksburg

Edmondson mentioned how much the PRMC staff appreciate the support from so many in the community, including a recent January 18 string quartet performance by some members of Tivy High School and Schreiner University as frontline workers continue to work tirelessly during the ongoing pandemic.