HOUSTON — The FEMA vaccination mega site at NRG Park officially opened at full strength Wednesday after a “soft launch” a day earlier.
People started lining up in their cars early in the morning for their scheduled appointments. Around lunch hour, the line stretched nearly a mile from the Yellow Lot to Interstate 610.
Every day for six weeks, 6,000 people a day will get the Pfizer vaccine at FEMA’s community vaccination center. First doses will be given the first three weeks, followed by three weeks of second doses.
Everyone will need an appointment and a ride at the drive-thru only site.
The Houston Health Department said about 5,600 were vaccinated on Wednesday.
“Took about an hour to go through,” Monroe Clowers said. “It wasn’t bad.”
Monroe and Betty Clowers stopped by a restaurant down the street to grab dessert after getting their shots at NRG Park.
“It’ll be nice to see family again,” Betty Clowers said.
Edwin Washington also got his first dose.
“You can kinda breathe a little bit now,” said Washington.
Washington says he has underlying health conditions and has watched family members battle COVID-19.
“I’m just truly grateful to God that He blessed me to get the opportunity to be able to get the call and come out and get mine,” said Washington.
At NRG Park, 222 active duty troops from the U.S. Air Force came from around the country to staff the site. They will fully vaccinate 126,000 people over six weeks.
After picking up food from the same restaurant the Clowers visited, Jay Jefferson told KHOU he’s looking forward to coming back to the area for his appointment at the vaccine site Thursday.
“I’m real thrilled,” said Jefferson “Real thrilled.”
Both Houston and Harris County are randomly choosing names from their waitlists to fill appointments. They’re prioritizing people from ZIP codes with higher COVID numbers and lower vaccine access.