SAN ANTONIO – Rep. Henry Cuellar and other Congress members representing the San Antonio area are urging the Biden administration to establish a federal pilot community vaccination center in the region.

Cuellar -- along with Reps. Joaquin Castro, Chip Roy, Tony Gonzales, and Lloyd Doggett -- sent a letter to the federal government to request the community vaccination centers, which can administer 6,000 vaccines per day.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -- in partnership with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and local officials -- would provide the necessary staffing and operational support to expand vaccination efforts in the area.

“We applaud the work of the President and the Federal Emergency Management Administration to increase the availability of COVID-19 vaccines to underserved communities,” the Congress members wrote in their letter. “In addition to being the third most populous area in the state, Bexar County is ranked first in the Centers for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index. This index measures a community’s need for support to prepare and respond to events such as the current pandemic and considers factors such as poverty, access to transportation, housing, and healthcare. Our community’s vulnerability is also reflected in the ultimate impact of COVID-19. Bexar County has suffered more deaths per capita than the other large population centers in the state.”

For a link to the original article and letter, click here.