AUSTIN, Texas - Tuesday, Dec. 28, marks the first anniversary of Austin Public Health (APH) administering its first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the Austin-Travis County community and serving as a regional vaccination hub.
Since then, APH’s vaccination campaign has accomplished the following:
•374,000+ vaccine doses administered at APH locations.
•11,706 of those doses were administered through pop-up locations.
•17,219 through APH mobile strike team efforts.
•3,379 pediatric doses administered since Nov. 3, 2021.
APH focused on zip codes with low vaccination rates among eligible populations. Prioritizing these specific communities is paramount to APH’s goal of prioritizing equitable access and strengthening protections against COVID-19.
A strategy implemented by APH’s COVID-19 Education & Vaccination Program successfully accomplished the following goals:
Objective 1 – Reached a 70% first dose vaccination rate among the eligible population (12+) in Austin/Travis County on Jul. 4, 2021. The first dose vaccination rate among the currently eligible population (5+) is 80%
Objective 2 – Reached a 70% fully vaccinated rate among the eligible population (12+) in Austin/Travis County on Sept. 20, 2021. The fully vaccinated rate among the currently eligible population (5+) is 70%
These achievements were possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of APH staff, county and city support, and community partners. Senior Registered Nurse (RN) Nelda Garcia received the very first COVID-19 vaccine dose administered by APH when guidance from the state prioritized health professionals to protect the healthcare system. Nelda and her colleagues have since helped tens of thousands of people of all ages get vaccinated and protected against the virus.
Photo: Senior Registered Nurse (RN) Nelda Garcia receives the first COVID-19 vaccine administered by Austin Public Health. Get tested, get vaccinated, get boosted APH clinics offer COVID-19 vaccinations and testing on a walk-up (no appointment needed) basis, although creating an account online in advance saves time. COVID-19 vaccinations are free and require neither identification nor insurance. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 3-1-1 or visit www.AustinTexas.gov/COVID19. Residents can also locate providers in their area using Vaccines.gov (Vacunas.gov in Spanish) or they can text their zip code to 438829 (822862 in Spanish) to find a nearby clinic. | 
