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IN RECOGNITION OF THE DENTON COUNTY COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM
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HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS
of texas
in the house of representatives
Monday, July 19, 2021
Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the contributions of the individuals, agencies, corporations, and organizations that made the Denton County, Texas COVID-19 vaccine distribution program possible. This massive undertaking was accomplished through the collective efforts of the Denton County Public Health Department, Denton County Emergency Management, County Judge Andy Eads and the Denton County Commissioners Court, the Denton County Medical Reserve Corps, and thousands of corporate and private citizen volunteers. Thanks to the selfless service of these groups and individuals, our community's vaccine distribution was not only highly successful, but seminal in providing a distribution model for Texas and across the country.
In particular, I would like to recognize the success of the Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) Denton County Mass Vaccination Site. The concept of an efficient drive-through vaccine delivery model was initially tested beginning in January 2021 at Denton ISD's C.H. Collins Stadium with the vaccination of over 12,000 individuals. Eddie Gossage, President of Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), offered the huge outdoor facility for the county's distribution efforts. Due to excellent planning, preparation and staging by Denton County's Health and Emergency Management and the exemplary diligence of 8,350 civilian volunteers, the TMS mass vaccination clinic, during its period of operation from February to May 2021, vaccinated over 375,000 North Texans. On March 16, 2021, the TMS clinic broke the national record for the most individuals vaccinated in a 9.5 hour period, with 12,927 vaccinations. The mass clinic also broke another record for a 10-hour period on April 29, with 17,004 vaccinations. Amidst these record-
breaking clinics, effective and efficient operations resulted in wait times per vehicle averaging 10 minutes from check-in to vaccination, followed by a 15 to 30-minute observation period.
The administration of Denton County was instrumental in organizing this tremendous operation. Judge Eads and the Denton County Commissioners are to be commended for their endorsement and oversight of the TMS clinic, as well as other vaccine distribution sites across the county. The diligence and devotion of both county officials and frontline workers has ensured the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of their constituents and neighbors.
The vaccination effort was further bolstered by the philanthropic outpouring of time and efforts from many volunteer organizations, including Denton County's Medical Reserve Corps. The members of the Denton County Medical Reserve Corps, in addition to performing screenings, offering accessible information services, and encouraging the vaccination effort, vaccinated over 10,000 individuals per day through their point of distribution at the Texas Motor Speedway. Over 125,000 residents of the county have been directly vaccinated thus far by the Medical Corps, and their community awareness and involvement campaigns have resulted in even more individuals receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Due to its exemplary performance, the Denton County MRC was selected as an awardee for the MRC Program National Recognition Awardee for Community Response in COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts.
In addition, in June the North Central Texas Council of Governments
(NCTCOG) awarded the Denton County Mass Vaccination Cooperation Site the 2021 Regional Cooperation Award. This award is presented to two or more local governments acting in tandem to address the concerns of the community. I join NCTCOG in extoling the monumental cooperation that allowed the vaccination effort to reach across city and county lines. The 42-regional partners that made this success possible are truly an estimable model of community service and camaraderie.
The Denton County Mass Vaccination Cooperative has been invaluable to bolstering the public health and wellbeing of the citizens of the county, state, and nation. The North Texas community gratefully applauds the staff and volunteers for their whole-hearted service in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their aid in bringing this crisis under control.
It is my privilege to recognize the Denton County Mass Vaccination program and congratulate the TMS clinic for receiving the NCTCOG Regional Cooperation Award, and the Denton County MRC for its national commendation. I trust that Denton County's continuing efforts will enhance the safety and security of our community. The frontline workers and volunteers that have shouldered the burden of the vaccination distribution are truly a model of civic responsibility and courage, and I thank them for their outstanding efforts
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 126
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