Statewide COVID education campaign launched in rural areas

Published 5:45 am Tuesday, October 12, 2021

The Texas Department of State Health Services has launched a new statewide COVID education campaign throughout October, focusing on smaller communities and rural areas across Texas, where vaccination rates have typically been lower. Urban zip codes with large numbers of unvaccinated residents will also be targeted in the campaign with the main purpose to encourage families and Texans aged 12 and older to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves, their friends, and community.

During the month, DSHS is holding outdoor pop-up events at 18 Walmart locations across the state. Sunday, DSHS was at Walmart, located at 450 S. SE Loop 323 in Tyler talking to parents and families about the importance of vaccination with the Delta variant in mind.

As with the visit to the Tyler Walmart, each pop-up event will feature a 16-foot video wall informing of vaccines. The wall also featured messages from local spokespeople. On Sunday, Dr. Paul McGaha, Smith County health authority and Dr. Valerie Smith, pediatrician at St. Paul Children’s Clinic, were featured on the video wall.

“What we know is that the vaccine is safer than getting COVID, both for you as well as the people you’re around,” said Smith.

“I, as so many of my pediatric colleagues and physician colleagues, was thrilled when the vaccine was approved for children 12 and up, partly because I have three teenagers and we were in line the first Saturday we could be to get them vaccinated,” she said.

McGaha talked about accessibility to the vaccine and the benefits.

“We strongly encourage parents to get their children vaccinated. For one thing, it’s free. There are many places they can receive the vaccine, health departments, pharmacies, and many other places. It’s a very effective vaccine and very safe, so you can’t beat that combination,” said McGaha.

There were also other family-friendly attractions, including a basketball game and a wheel spin for the public to participate in.

DSHS’ next pop-up event in East Texas will start 3 p.m. Tuesday in Center, Texas. In Shelby County, where Center is located, 46.36% of people 12 and older had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 38.21% of people 12 and older had been fully vaccinated, according to the state.

State data shows 66.15% of people age 65 and older in the county had been vaccinated with at least one dose on Monday, while 59.14% of that population had been fully vaccinated.

In Smith County, 55.54% of people 12 and older had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 48.49% of people 12 and older had been fully vaccinated, according to the state.

State data shows 82.60% of people age 65 and older in the county had been vaccinated with at least one dose on Monday, while 76.17% of that population had been fully vaccinated.

Texas providers have administered nearly 32 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to more than 16 million people. About 15 million Texans are now fully vaccinated, 62 percent of the eligible population. Vaccination rates by age group range from about 80 percent fully vaccinated for people 65 and older to 47 percent for people ages 12 to 17.