JASPER, Texas — Jasper health officials collaborated Friday to bring a back-to-school COVID-19 vaccine clinic to the Jasper County Annex building.
At the event, more than 125 eligible community members were vaccinated. Children between the ages of 12 – 17 received the Pfizer vaccine and adults 18 and older received the Moderna vaccine.
“It is important that we continue to do as much as we can to slow the spread of COVID-19 around our community,” Mark Allen, Jasper County judge, said in a news release. “The vaccine provides a great line of defense against the virus and we want to make it available to as many of our neighbors as possible.”
Data shows that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and help reduce the risk of infection and the spread of the virus, a Jasper health official said. A majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations consist of unvaccinated individuals.
Jasper health officials said they believe that vaccinations will lessen the severity of the illness and decrease the number of hospitalizations.
“Providing the vaccines for this clinic is just part of our commitment to give the best care to the Jasper area during this COVID-19 pandemic,” Wayne Moore, CHRISTUS Southeast Texas – Jasper Memorial president, said. “We stand ready to provide any resources to improve the health of our community."
Health officials hope to hold events like the vaccine clinic in the future.
“Our schedule was recently updated and offers families multiple opportunities to get vaccinated," Dianne Rashall, Jasper Newton County Public Health District administrative director, said.
The community is asked to continue to wear masks, practice hand washing, social distance, and stay home when sick to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Jasper Newton County Public Health District and the Jasper Hospital District and CHRISTUS Southeast Texas – Jasper Memorial Hospital collaborated for Friday's clinic. The doses were provided by CHRISTUS Jasper Memorial and administered by health professionals.
Details about upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics can be found on the Jasper Newton County Public Health District website.