San Antonio’s Alamodome will serve as a free COVID-19 vaccination site starting Monday, Jan.11.
Vaccinations at the Alamodome will require registration and the city expects to vaccinate 1,500 people per day with the Pfizer vaccine. People who qualify in Phases 1A and 1B will be eligible to receive it and appointments can be made online or over the phone starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan 9.
The vaccine has been hard to find after the state opened up eligibility to Phase 1B. Although it was authorized, many providers reserved limited vaccine availability to Phase 1A until more doses became available.
“Vaccine supply is in short supply, but increasing weekly,” said San Antonio’s COVID-19 Incident Commander Dr. Colleen Bridger. “So if you can’t get vaccinated this week, please know there is more on the way.”
Bridger noted that several thousand doses of the vaccine will arrive each week as San Antonio Metro Health continues to request additional doses.
“We’re expecting weekly shipments to Bexar County – around 20,000 to 25,000 doses – that will be divvied up across various providers,” Dr. Bridger said. “We expect to get at least 9,000 doses per week for this site.”
Over the next two weeks, vaccine availability is expected to increase.
“The more people we can vaccinate, the better for our community. Our goal is to distribute vaccines to our most vulnerable populations, which we know are at a higher risk of complications from COVID-19,” said Bridger.
The vaccination campaign is a hopeful sign that the end of the pandemic is coming, according to San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
“At the same time we want to urge caution because it’s not going to arrive soon with the rate of vaccinations that are happening in the country,” Nirenberg said. We want to urge everyone to be patient but clearly 2021 is when the clouds will break.”
How to Register:
Vaccine appointments can be made at COVID19.SanAntonio.gov/vaccine or calling 311 and selecting option 8 starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 9.
Appointment availability:
There will be in-person and drive-thru options available at the Alamodome, located at 100 Montana St. in San Antonio. Appointments will run Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Metro Health will open one week of appointments at first and increase beyond the first week as more vaccines become available.
Who Is Eligible:
People who meet the Phase 1A and 1B under the state’s guidelines; which are generally healthcare workers, certain first responders, long-term care residents, people over the age of 65, and people who are between the ages 16 and 65 who have a chronic condition like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer and other ailments.
Although city officials noted the availability for Bexar County residents, it’s open to anyone regardless of where they live. It’s also open to anyone regardless of immigration status.
Accessibility Accommodations:
Recipients who feel they cannot physically access the building may use a drive-up lane to receive the vaccine; a handicap placard is recommended.
Will Walk-ups Be Taken?
No. Appointments are required.
Which Vaccine Is Used?
The Pfizer vaccine.
Is A Second Dose Needed?
Yes. Recipients will be given a card to make their second appointment at the Alamodome for approximately three weeks after the first vaccination.
Is There An Observation Period?
Yes. Vaccine recipients will be required to wait 15 minutes after receiving the dose to make sure there are no adverse reactions.
Cost:
The vaccine is free of cost regardless of insurance.
