COVID-19 News
3 San Antonio locations now offering free COVID-19 vaccines
Beginning Monday, January 11, the Alamodome and two San Antonio senior centers are turning into no-cost COVID-19 vaccination sites, though actually getting a shot is difficult.
Last week, the City of San Antonio opened enrollment for 9,000 people classified in the 1A or 1B categories to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. To begin, the Alamodome expects to administer 1,500 vaccines daily for the foreseeable future.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, those classifications are as follows:
- 1A: Direct care healthcare workers including hospital, long-term care, home health, outpatient, ER/urgent care, pharmacies, last responders, and school nurses; or those living or working in long-term residential care facilities.
- 1B: Persons 65 and older or those 16 and older with one chronic medical condition, including pregnancy.
Reservations for the first 9,000 available slots were released January 9 and snapped up in less than six minutes, and rollout of the vaccine officially began this morning at 9 am at the Alamodome. Over the weekend, city leaders issued two additional news alerts asking San Antonio residents to be patient as the city prepares to rollout additional time slots.
“We received 187,000 calls and an overwhelming amount of website visits at 9 am [on Saturday],” said city manager Erik Walsh. “Thank you for your patience. We understand some may be frustrated that there are not more doses available, but we are sending the message to state leaders that we are equipped to deliver every dose that we receive."
As the city awaits the delivery of additional vaccines from the State of Texas, it says it will continue to keep the community updated via social media channels on new appointments as they become available.
Also beginning January 11 is the administering of vaccines at two San Antonio WellMed senior centers: the Elvira Cisneros Senior Community Center at 517 SW Military Dr. and Alicia Trevino Lopez Senior One-Step Center at 8353 Culebra Rd.
Like the Alamodome, these vaccines are by appointment only and going fast. WellMed's toll-free number is 1-833-968-1745, and open from 8 am to 8 pm, seven days per week.
“We are proud to have a mass COVID-19 vaccine distribution site on the Southside,” said Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran in a news alert. “Because we want to ensure equity, we made it a phone-call only registration process. We understand that it may take longer to get through to make an appointment; however, please be patient."
