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COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens at COTA for certain CommUnityCare clients

Leaders say they hope to eventually give out 50,000 doses each week.

AUSTIN, Texas — A COVID-19 mass vaccination site has opened in the Austin area.

Travis County commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with a drive-thru mass vaccination site at Circuit of the Americas. A 3,000-dose trial run was held on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Travis, Caldwell, Hays and Bastrop counties are working to give out the vaccines at the COTA drive-thru distribution. Leaders say they hope to eventually give out 50,000 doses each week. 

“The eventual goal is to get to where we’re giving out 6,000 to 10,000 a day,” said Travis County Judge Andy Brown.

Saturday's clinic was by appointment only and open to people in category 1B, meaning either those 65 and older or those who are younger and have underlying health conditions. On Friday, Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden-Howard clarified that the site is a "closed POD," or point of distribution, for CommUnityCare clients.

“In order to be eligible for this drive-thru vaccine clinic, you must be classified in the Phase 1A and Phase 1B groups, as determined by the Texas Department of State Health Services, and be a patient of CommUnity Care Health Centers or identified by one the respective participating counties,” Travis County's Hector Nieto told KVUE.

WATCH: Four Central Texas counties working on COVID-19 mass vaccination site at COTA

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