Vaccines & Antiques: Only in Fayette County

The Fayette County Office of Emergency Management in conjunction with the Round Top-Warrenton Volunteer Fire Department and the Texas Military Division are distributing about 200 doses a day of the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine at the Warrenton Antiques Show this week.

The walk-up clinic opened Tuesday at the Warrenton Fire Station and will continue through Saturday, April 3.

“Its a pretty good mix of people,” said Fayette County Emergency Management Chief Craig Moreau. “A lot of locals have come by on their lunch break. “We’ve had out-of-towners, some from way off. But that was the goal – to get as many shots in arms as quickly as possible.

The State allotted 1,000 doses to Fayette County for the effort at the Antiques Show.

“It’s great all the way around – its great for our locals, the state and the country as a whole,” he said.

Moreau said one woman who got the shot struck him in particular. He said the woman came from the Houston area to shop at the Antiques Show.

“She kept saying, ‘This is a godsend, this is a godsend,’” Moreau said.

Moreau said the woman had stayed up late the night before trying to find a clinic to get a shot before coming to Warrenton.

“She said she almost didn’t come to the Fair because she was worried,” Moreau said. “But when she walked up, there was a shot available for her. She was crying, very excited to get a shot.”

Anyone in categories 1A, B or C can get a free shot at the clinic. Anyone interested can walk up to the fire station and register. Those 65 and older will be escorted to the front of the line.

In other vaccine news, Moreau said vaccines are starting to become available at local pharmacies.

“Apothecary in Schulenburg is about to get some doses,” he said. “Pharm House in La Grange got some. The Pharm Stand in Flatonia has gotten some doses. We’re starting to see them coming more to the local pharmacies, the local doctors and hospitals. In the very near future, anyone 18 and older who wants a vaccine will be able to get one.”

Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only coronavirus vaccine that the Food and Drug Administration has given emergency approval for use by 16 and 17-year-olds. Moreau said there are currently no doses of the Pfizer vaccine available close to Fayette County.

“That could change in the near future,” he said.