Commissioner’s Court Honors Vaccine Hub Workforce

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people standing in courthouse
Ellis County Judge Todd Little (left), Waxahachie Mayor David Hill (2nd from left), and Baylor Scott & White President Will Turner (right) give a certificate of appreciation to Vaccine Hub volunteer Julie Minialoff.” (Creditable to Corey Rogan, Ellis County Public Information Specialist

Vaccine Hub administered 80,975 COVID-19 vaccines as of May 31st

Ellis County, TX – During its June 1st meeting, the Ellis County Commissioner’s Court formally honored the workforce of the county Vaccine Hub, which is set to demobilize on June 4th. Since the Vaccine Hub began operations on February 2nd, healthcare professionals and volunteers dedicated a combined total of over 10,000 hours helping to administer COVID-19 vaccines, thus mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the Ellis County population and saving lives.

After COVID-19 vaccines were developed during Operation Warp Speed, Ellis County launched its Vaccine Initiative on January 25th to start up a centrally-located vaccination hub. Through partnerships with Baylor Scott & White, the City of Waxahachie, and other local jurisdictions, the county’s emergency management team designated the Waxahachie Senior Center for temporary use as the Vaccine Hub. Over the following months, medical professionals and volunteers alike signed up to dedicate their time to helping their neighbors get vaccinated.

Volunteers operating the Vaccine Hub saved Ellis County over $130,000 in costs that would have otherwise been required for federal and state emergency personnel to do the same work. Thanks to the dutiful commitment of its workforce, the Vaccine Hub administered 80,975 COVID-19 vaccines as of May 31st, and 55,685 Ellis County residents age 12+ are fully vaccinated – over 1/3 of the population.

During the ceremony, representatives of each main entity assisting with the Vaccine Initiative – Ellis County Emergency Management, the City of Waxahachie, Baylor Scott & White, and volunteers with over 20 hours of service – were invited to the front of the courtroom to receive a certificate of gratitude from County Judge Todd Little, Waxahachie Mayor David Hill, and BS&W President Will Turner. A total of 50 healthcare professionals and volunteers from all over Ellis County, as well as several volunteers from out-of-state, were invited to the honoring ceremony.

“As county officials, our job was to organize the Vaccine Hub,” said Judge Little, “but the Vaccine Initiative could not have succeeded without the valiant efforts of each and every individual who volunteered his or her time to help. The Hub’s workforce protected our county’s vulnerable population and preserved the integrity of our healthcare resources. We will forever be grateful to our citizens for stepping up in a time of need to make this monumental accomplishment possible.”