MIDLAND, Texas — Midland Memorial hospital is planning on getting 5,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of the week.
Once the vaccine arrives, the hospital will start distributing the vaccine at the Horseshoe Arena.
It's an effort that has taken everyone from the hospital, county and the city to make possible.
“It’s going to require a very well organized, well-oiled machine,” Russell Meyers, Midland Health CEO said.
So what will getting the vaccine be like at the Horseshoe?
"Once you get on the waiting list you’re going to get a confirmation email," Meyers said. "Then our people will schedule you an appointment and you will get a text about where to register.”
The hospital encourages registering online to make getting your vaccine faster at the horseshoe. Otherwise, you can register in person on the day of your appointment.
Then you will park your car and go inside the Horseshoe to get vaccinated.
“We are asking people to wear short-sleeve shirts, so if you wear a jacket make sure you can remove it easily," Meyers said. "We are trying to give a thousand shots a day with 10-12 people actually doing the shots so people need to move through quickly.”
After getting vaccinated, you will go back to your car and wait for about 15 minutes to ensure you do not have any reactions. There, paramedics will be on standby.
But just because the vaccine protects people from getting the virus, scientists do not know if it prevents people from carrying it to others who are not vaccinated.
“I’m excited, optimistic but I want to make sure that excitement does not turn into complacency," Meyers said. "We have to keep doing the hard things until we get enough of the vaccine to be protected.”
The vaccine hub at the Horseshoe will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
And just to note, the vaccine is not just open to those in Midland County. Anyone will be able to get the vaccine in Midland as long as they meet Phase 1A or Phase 1B criteria.