FIRST
FIRST DOSES OF COVID-19 VACCINES HAVE ARRIVED IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. BAPTIST HOSPITAL --THE MEDICAL
CENTER OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
CHRISTUS SAINT ELIZABETH ALL
RECEIVING THEIR FIRST BATCHES OF
THE PFIZER VACCINES TODAY.
EACH OF THE HOSPITALS RECEIVED
975 DOSES. THE MEDICAL CENTER
AND CHRISTUS BOTH SENDING US
VIDEOS OF THE ARRIVAL. AND
AS YOU SAW --VACCINATIONS FOR
FRONTLINE WORKERS HAVE BEGUN. NO
WORD YET ON WHEN IT WILL BECOME
AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT
-- 12NEWS CREWS HAVE BEEN AT
THE HOSPITALS ALL DAY AS
SHIPMENTS ARRIVED. 12NEWS
REPORTER ALMIYA WHITE HAS BEEN
BAPTIST AND THE MEDICAL CENTER.
AND VICTORIA DELEON WAS THERE
FOR THE VACCINE ARRIVED AT
CHRISTUS. SO LET'S START THERE.
VICTORIA WHAT CAN YOU TELL US
ABOUT THE PROCESS THERE?
IT WAS A RATHER QUICK PROCESS
-- 12 FRONTLINE WORKERS AT
CHRISTUS ST. ELIZABETH LINED UP
FOR THEIR FIRST DOSES OF THE
VACCINE. AFTER THEY GOT THEIR
SHOT, THEY HAD TO STAY FOR A 15
MINUTE OBSERVATION, BUT THE ROOM
WAS FULL OF A LOT OF EXCITEMENT.
975
975 DOSES
975 DOSES ARRIVED TODAY --
BEFORE
BEFORE THEY STARTED ADMINISTERING THE VACCINES, THE STAFF TOOK A MOMENT TO PRAY AND
ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT A HISTORIC
MOMENT THIS IS. THEY ALSO PRAYED
FOR THE FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED
ONES
ONES TO
ONES TO THIS VIRUS, AND SAY THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THE END -- WE'RE ALL STILL GOING TO HAVE
TO DO OUR PART TO KEEP CASES
DOWN. WHILE THESE HEALTHCARE
WORKERS
WORKERS ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE VACCINE AND FOR BEING SOME OF THE FIRST IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS TO
RECEIVE IT -- THEY KNOW SOME
PEOPLE HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT
THE VACCINE..
THE VACCINE..
I'M
I'M VERY
I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE NOT GOTTEN COVID, MY MESSAGE WOULD BE NOT TO BE SCARED OF THE
VACCINE. WE REALLY NEED TO FIGHT
THE PANDEMIC AND THIS IS THE
BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
THAT HEALTHCARE WORKER YOU JUST
HEARD FROM IS A PATHOLOGISTY WHO
WORKS WITH SAMPLES FROM COVID
PATIENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
DOCTORS SAY THIS IS THE BEST
TOOL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, BUT
AGAIN WE'VE STILL GOT A LONG WAY
TO GO.
AND TODAY WAS SUCH AN EMOTIONAL
DAY FOR SOME OF THESE DOCTORS
AND NURSES, BECAUSE NINE MONTHS
IS A LONG TIME TO FEEL ANXIOUS.
ONE NURSE TOLD ME THE HARDEST
PART HAS BEEN HAVING TO TELL
FAMILIES THAT THEIR LOVED ONES
ARE GONE, SO THEY'RE GRATEFUL
THIS VACCINE PUTS US ONE STEP
CLOSER TO THE END.
TAKE A LOOK AT THESE WORDS ON
YOUR SCREEN. "I WANT TO DO
ALL I CAN TO HELP NOT SPREAD
THIS DEADLY VIRUS." THAT'S
WHAT THE FIRST NURSE TO RECEIVE
A VACCINE IN A SOUTHEAST TEXAS
HOSPITAL. SHE WORKS FOR MEDICAL
CENTER OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
SAID THIS AFTER FINALLY
RECEIVING THE GLIMMER OF HOPE
SHE WAS SEARCHING FOR.
12NEWS REPORTER ALMIYA WHITE IN
LIVE RIGHT NOW. ALMIYA, CAN YOU
TELL US WHY THIS IS SO PERSONAL
FOR HER?
WELL JORDAN -- CHRISTY'S MOTHER
AND FATHER TESTED POSTIVE FOR
COVID- 19 THIS PAST SUMMER.
UNFORTANTLY -- SHE LOST HER DAD
TO THE BATTLE BACK IN AUGUST. SO
-- TAKING THIS VACCINE TODAY
WASN'T SOMEING SHE HAD TO
THINK TWICE ABOUT.
IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL DAY AS
FRONT LINE WORKERS AT THE
MEDICAL CENTER LINED UP TO GET
THAT SHOT IN THE ARM . WRIGHT IS
A REGISTERED NURSE AND SHE WORKS
ON THE COVID MEDICAL FLOOR.
SHE WAS THRILLED TO BE AMONGST
THE FIRST TO RECEIVE THE PFIZER
VACCINE. BUT SHE'S NOT THE
ONLY ONE FILLED WITH JOY ON THIS
EVENTFUL DAY. BRENDA
JOHNSON PHARMACY OPERATIONS
MANAGER AT BAPTIST HOSPITAL SAYS
IT'S AMAZING TO NOT ONLY WITNESS
HISTORY BUT BE TO BE PART OF IT.
SOT: YOU KNOW I THINK WE'RE
VERY EXCITED WITH THE ARRIVAL OF
THIS VACCINE. IT EMBODIES HOPE
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. SO IT'S
REALLY EXCITING TO BE PART OF
THIS TIME.
NOW -- BAPTIST WILL BEGIN
ADMINISTERING THE VACCINE TO STAFF MEMBERS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS MONDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. AND ONCE THE WORKERS
RECEIVE THEIR VACCINE THEY'LL
GET THIS CUTE LITTLE STICKER
THAT SAYS 'I GOT MY COVID
VACCINE!'
NOW BEFORE THEY GET THINGS
RUNNING ON MONDAY -- TOMORROW
MORNING THEY WILL HOLD A VACCINE
TRAIL RUN WITH FIVE PHYSICIANS
WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH COVID-19
PATIENTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS
TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING RUNS AS
SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE ON MONDAY. IN
BEAUMONT. ALMIYA WHITE. 12NEWS.
BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT -- A
SECOND COVID- 19 VACCINE HAS
BEEN APPROVED BY AN F-D-A
ADVISORY PANEL. THE NEXT
STEP FOR THE MODERNA VACCINE IS
TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE F-D-A.
THAT IS EXPECTED TO COME WITHIN
HOURS OR EVEN DAYS.
THE ACTION WILL PROVIDE A BOOST
TO THE LARGEST VACCINATION
EFFORT IN U-S HISTORY. ONCE
AUTHORIZED --U-S- OFFICIALS SAY
THE INITIAL SHIPMENT OF NEARLY 6
MILLION DOSES WILL GO TO HEALTH
CARE WORKERS AND NURSING HOMES.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT... NOW
THAT THE FIRST ROUND OF
VACCINES HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED
TO 110 PROVIDERS ACROSS THE
STATE OF TEXAS? IT'S A
QUESTION GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT
ADDRESSED DURING A NEWS
CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN.
GOV. ABBOTT CALLED OPERATION
WARP SPEED A "MONUMENTAL MEDICAL
MIRACLE." AS OF THURSDAY --
224-THOUSAND VACCINES HAVE
ARRIVED IN TEXAS. WITH THE
MODERNA VACCINE EXPECTED BY NEXT
WEEK, HE SAID THE STATE SHOULD
BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE THAN A
MILLION PEOPLE VACCINATED BY THE
END OF THE MONTH.
WHEN WILL BE DELIVERING TO NOT
JUST HOSPITALS BUT HEALTH CARE
CENTERS, CLINICS, PHARMACIES,
FREE STANDING EMERGENCY ROOMS
URGENT CARE CENTERS, LONG TERM
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES WILL BE
RECEIVING THESE VACCINES LATER
THIS MONTH. AS WELL AS LOCAL
HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, STATE
HOSPITALS AND STATE SUPPORTED
LIVING CENTERS
ONE THING THAT THE GOVERNOR
SAYS WON'T BE IN OUR STATE'S
FUTURE--- ANY MORE SHUTDOWNS.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT MADE IT VERY
CLEAR AT THIS AFTERNOON'S PRESS
CONFERENCE THAT HE PLANS TO PUT
SHUTDOWNS BEHIND US.
WE'VE TAKEN MAJOR STEPS FORWARD
THIS WEEK IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
COVID-19. VACCINES ARE
REACHING EVERY CORNER OF THE
COUNTRY --BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN
WE CAN STOP TAKING PRECAUTIONS.
MANY OF YOU HAVE REACHED OUT,
WITH GOOD, AND VALID QUESTIONS
-- ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS IN THE
ROLLOUT -- AND WHAT LIFE
WILL BE LIKE IN THE COMING
MONTHS. KELSEY JOHNSON TOOK THE
QUESTIONS TO A BEAUMONT DOCTOR.
LL INTRO IT COULD BE
APRIL
APRIL BEFORE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE HEALTH INDUSTRY ARE ABLE TO GET VACCINATED. I ASKED DOCTOR
RAY CALLAS SOME QUESTIONS
REGARDING WAYS YOU CAN START
PREPARING NOW. PKG FIRST
QUESTION -- WHEN THE VACCINE IS
AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC,
WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO DO? SOT:
DR. CALLAS "RIGHT NOW THERE ARE
ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF BATCHES.
YOU HAVE TO REALIZE WE ARE
TRYING TO GET TO HUNDREDS OF
MILLION OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE
UNITED STATES, BUT AS IT ROLLS
OUT, THE BEST THING TO DO IS
CONTACT YOUR PRIMARY CARE
PHYSICIAN, ALSO TALK TO YOUR
LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND AS
THINGS ROLL OUT, I PROMISE YOU
WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF
INFORMATION COMING OUT VIA RADIO
AND TELEVISION AS WE GET MORE
AND MORE VACCINATIONS
AVAILABLE." WHILE WE WAIT --
HOW CAN PEOPLE BEGIN TO PREPARE
FOR THE VACCINE NOW? SOT: DR.
CALLAS "I THINK TO IN ORDER TO
MAKE PEOPLE'S FEARS SUBSIDE, I
THINK THAT THE APPROPRIATE THING
TO DO IS TO LOOK FOR
PUBLICATIONS AND ACTUAL
SCIENTIFIC DATA." WELL--WHAT ARE
SOME EXAMPLES OF TRUSTWORTHY
SITES FOR RESEARCH? SOT: DR.
CALLAS "I WOULD RECOMMEND IF
YOU LOOK AT ANY CREDIBLE
SCIENTIFIC LIKE IF YOU GET
SOMETHING FROM THE NEW ENGLAND
JOURNAL OF MEDICINE OR IF YOU
GET SOMETHING FROM THE AMERICAN
COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OR THE
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OR
IF YOU LOOK AT THE CENTERS FOR
DISEASE CONTROL
. DEFINITELY LOOK INTO ALL THOSE
PLATFORMS. THE ONLY THING I
WOULD TELL YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT
THE STATE OF TEXAS WHATEVER THEY
COME WITH BASED ON HEALTH
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WHOLE
STATE. THOSE WILL BE ANOTHER
AVENUE." DR CALLAS SAYS DO NOT
LOOK TO RANDOM POSTS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA. MAKE SURE YOU ARE READING
POSTS FROM YOUR LOCAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS AND DO NOT USE
WIKIPEDIA. LL TAG AT 6 DR
CALLAS IS ANSWER MORE
QUESTIONS. THESE ARE MORE
SPECIFIC ON WHAT TO EXPECT
AFTER YOU GET THE VACCINE.
KELSEY JOHNSON, 12NEWS.
TRACKING HOSPITALIZATION
NUMBERS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY
TONIGHT. I-C-U BEDS ARE NEAR
FULL CAPACITY STILL. 48-PERCENT
OF THOSE PATIENTS HAVE COVID-19.
AND 13-PERCENT OF THE GENERAL
PATIENTS HAVE THE
VIRUS.
VIRUS. EVEN AS THE VACCINE ARRIVES IN
SOUTHEAST
SOUTHEAST TEXAS, WE FACE A DIRE SITUATION, HEADING INTO THE HOLIDAY. WE JUST SHOWED YOU THE
RISING HOSPITALIZATIONS. ON
TOP OF THAT, MORE OF OUR
NEIGHBORS ARE DYING FROM THE
VIRUS. AS 12NEWS REPORTER JAMES
GRANT EXPLAINS, DECEMBER HAS
PROVEN TO BE THE DEADLIEST
MONTH, SO FAR, IN JEFFERSON
COUNTY.
INTRO: DOCTOR PRAPHUL JOSHI
WITH LAMAR UNIVERSITY TELLS ME
WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE OVER 4%
OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY
POPULATION HAS TESTED POSITIVE
FOR COVID--AN ALARMING
STATISTIC. VO: IN JUST THE LAST
THREE DAYS--DOCTOR JOSHI SAYS
THERE HAVE BEEN 21 COVID-RELATED
DEATHS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. THIS
IS THE MOST DEATHS IN ANY WEEK
SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.
ACCORDING TO JOSHI--MOST OF THE
RECENT CASES AND DEATHS CAN BE
ATTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE GATHERING
OVER THANKSGIVING. THIS RECENT
UPTICK IN CASES AND DEATHS WAS
EXPECTED--BUT CONSIDERING THE
RISING POSITIVITY AND DEATH
RATES IN JEFFERSON
COUNTY--DOCTOR JOSHI FEARS IT
WILL GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS
BETTER. AS YOU CAN SEE THE
DEATH RATES HAVE BEEN HIGHER IN
RURAL COUNTIES--WITH JASPER
COUNTY HAVING THE LARGEST
PERCENT
PERCENT INCREASE IN COVID DEATHS FROM THE MIDDLE OF JULY UNTIL NOW. SOT
: "GETTING PRETTY ROUGH ON
EVERYBODY. JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY
KNOWS SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN
INFECTED OR THEY HAVE BEEN
HOSPITALIZED OR LOST A LOVED ONE
AT SOME POINT OR A CLOSE FRIEND
TO THIS." VO: JASPER COUNTY
JUDGE MARK ALLEN SAYS IT'S
DISTURBING TO SEE THE HIGH
NUMBER OF CASES AND DEATHS IN
JASPER COUNTY--WHICH HAS A
MUCH-SMALLER POPULATION THAN
OTHER COUNTIES LIKE HARDIN OR
JEFFERSON. TAG: AT SIX--I'LL
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT TYLER
COUNTY IS DOING AS CASES
CONTINUE TO RISE THERE. IN
BEAUMONT--JAMES GRANT--12NEWS.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE A BEAUTIFUL
AFTERNOON, BUT IT WAS A FRIGID
AND
AND
FROSTY
FROSTY START! HERE'S A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE FROM OUR ROOFING 911 SKYCAM NETWORK.
CHIEF METEOROLOGIST PATRICK
VAUGHN IS TRACKING ANOTHER SUNNY
DAY IN THE FORECAST FOR TOMORROW
--WITH WARMER TEMPS.
GOOD EVENING SE TEXAS! ANOTHER
FROSTY NIGHT IS IN STORE FOR SE
TEXAS WITH LOWS TEMPERATURES
RIGHT AT FREEZING JUST NORTH OF
INTERSTATE TEN TO THE
MIDDLE/UPPER 30S SOUTH.
CURRENTLY, SKIES ARE CLEAR AND
WINDS ARE LIGHT. TEMPERATURES
ARE IN THE MIDDLE 50S. AFTER
SUNSET, TEMPERATURES WILL
QUICKLY FALL INTO THE MID 40S BY
9 PM. COMING UP, WE'LL CHECK
OUT THE WHAT AND THE WHEN
REGARDING THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM
TO AFFECT SE TEXAS ON 12NEWS.
AHEAD
AHEAD HERE AT FIVE--