San Antonio, TX—Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), along with members of the San Antonio delegation, sent a letter to the Biden Administration, urging to establish a federal pilot community vaccination center in the region. Additional signatories of the letter include: Reps. Joaquin Castro, Chip Roy, Tony Gonzales, and Lloyd Doggett.

The federal pilot community vaccination centers are capable of administering about 6,000 shots per day. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) and local officials, provide the resources, staffing and operational support to expand the rate of vaccinations in an efficient, effective and equitable manner.

“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 Members wrote. “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.

“We respectfully request that you make the San Antonio region the next community to host one of the Federal Community Vaccination Centers as quickly as possible.”

Full text of the letter is available here and below: 

Dear Mr. Ricchetti:

On February 11, 2021, we were notified of vaccine efforts with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state emergency management agency conducting "pilot sites" in the national effort to speed up the nation's COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort. We are requesting that you make this an opportunity available to the San Antonio region as soon as possible.

San Antonio and Bexar County have the capacity, readiness, and need to increase vaccination distribution and administration. The City of San Antonio and its partners have successfully established four large vaccinations centers across our community, prioritizing high risk groups and those most in need. They continue to innovate by using Community Health Prevention teams to go door-to-door to register eligible residents in targeted areas and utilize Meals on Wheels to vaccinate homebound seniors. Consideration of the San Antonio region as a “super-site” would also provide vaccine access for other communities in South Texas that have been hard-hit by the pandemic.

We applaud the work of the President and the Federal Emergency Management Administration to increase the availability of COVID-19 vaccines to underserved communities. 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.

We respectfully request that you make the San Antonio region the next community to host one of the Federal Community Vaccination Centers as quickly as possible.