Governor honors NET Health for fight against COVID-19

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, October 6, 2021

CEO of the Northeast Texas Public Health District George Roberts announced Tuesday at the Smith County Commissioners Court meeting that Gov. Greg Abbott presented NET Health with an official certificate of recognition for appreciation.

“As governor of Texas, I am honored to thank you for your service to the state of Texas as a major vaccination hub. Your hard work has helped to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our communities while also safeguarding crucial state resources and ensuring the protection of our most vulnerable Texans,” said Abbott in the certificate.

NET Health began vaccination efforts in December shortly after Christmas at the Harvey Convention Center in Tyler. In early January, the state asked if NET Health wanted to be a regional vaccination hub. After NET Health agreed, the state asked them to set up a larger hub to direct the public to, promising a priority in receiving vaccines.

After about 50,000 to 60,000 vaccines were administered there, the vaccine hub was moved to NET Health’s office at 815 N. Broadway in early June after renovations began at the Harvey Convention Center. They were the last ones to ever use the hall before it was torn down for renovations.

This week, NET Health’s vaccine hub moved to the Majesty Event Center in Tyler. They are also holding free COVID-19 testing at St. Louis Baptist Church in Tyler Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins are permitted.

Roberts thanked the city for allowing them to use Harvey Hall. He also said there are a number of hubs in the area. UT Health Science Center was a hub, as well as Christus Good Shepherd in Longview.

“We were one of the first to be a hub, so for that effort, we’re very happy to receive that recognition. My staff has worked tirelessly in the vaccination effort,” Roberts said.

It’s hard to say how much time and effort has been put into vaccinating the Northeast Texas community, Roberts said. When they first started administering vaccines, NET Health had the help of many, including local retired physicians, the Smith County Medical Society, the UT Tyler School of Pharmacy, UT Tyler School of Nursing, Tyler Junior College, and community volunteers helping with traffic and crowd control, as well as NET Health staff.

In late February when volumes were high, NET Health brought on a contract company to help them contract nurses and paramedics to help them get the vaccines out.

“They were a blessing as well, but this community really stepped forward and helped us,” Roberts said, adding local restaurants helped feed the staff for the day, which encouraged them to keep going instead of taking more breaks throughout the day.

In the certificate from Abbott’s office, the governor and First Lady Cecilia Abbott sent NET Health their deepest appreciation for the commitment to the people of Texas.

“Under the laws of the State of Texas, with all my rights, privileges, and emoluments appertaining to said office, I grant this official recognition. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name and caused the Seal of the State to be affixed at the City of Austin, this is the 29th day of September, 2021,” the certificate read.

Roberts said he hopes NET Health has slowed the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

“We hope, right now, that people who have still not taken the vaccine, either the first or second doses, that they will really strongly consider that because right now, local hospitals tell us that 90% of the patients inside their hospitals being treated for COVID-19 have not been vaccinated,” Roberts said.

“To take that a step further, 98 plus percent of their patients in their ICU’s and the ones that are having a very difficult course with COVID-19 have not been vaccinated,” he said.

NET Health will continue offering the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the public, and will be offering the third dose to those immuno-compromised. As the booster doses begin to roll out, such as Pfizer, there are populations eligible to get a booster. Moderna is expected to have a booster within weeks.

Currently, there are discussions at the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention level about approving vaccines for children aged 5 to 11.

“There’s going to be a continued need to do vaccinations in our community,” Roberts said.