GIVEN
GIVEN IN
GIVEN IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS-- TO A FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKER -- AT THE MED CENTER OF SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. THE HOSPITAL PROVIDED
THESE IMAGES OF THIS RINGING
SHOT OF HOPE-- AFTER 9 MONTHS
OF THE PANDEMIC.
THREE SOUTHEAST TEXAS HOSPITALS
UNLOADING AND UNWRAPPING. NOT
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS-- BUT THE
FIRST SHIPMENT OF THE COVID-19
VACCINES-- TODAY.
BAPTIST HOSPITAL --THE MEDICAL
CENTER
CENTER OF
CENTER OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND CHRISTUS SAINT ELIZABETH-- RECEIVED 975 DOSES-- EACH . THE
MEDICAL CENTER AND CHRISTUS
SHARED VIDEO WITH 12NEWS OF THE
ARRIVAL. WE KNOW YOU'RE
WONDERING--- WHEN WILL IT BECOME
AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THAT
ANSWER.
WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE
TONIGHT -- LAUREN HENSLEY
HAS BEEN TRACKING THE GOVERNOR'S
REACTION AND PLANS FOR THE STATE
AS MORE VACCINES ARRIVE. 12NEWS
CREWS HAVE ALSO BEEN ON THE
GROUND-- AS THE TRUCKS CARRYING
VACCINES PULLED INTO THE
HOSPITALS. 12NEWS REPORTER
ALMIYA WHITE HAS BEEN AT BAPTIST
AND THE MEDICAL CENTER. AND
VICTORIA DELEON CAPTURED THE
MOMENT VACCINES ARRIVED AT
CHRISTUS. LET'S START THERE.
VICTORIA WHAT CAN YOU TELL US
ABOUT THE PROCESS?
TODAY, 12 FRONTLINE WORKERS
RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSE OF
THE
THE VACCINE-- AFTERWARDS, THEY
WERE
WERE OBSERVED FOR ANY REACTIONS FOR 15 MINUTES -- THAT'S WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THEM AND
LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE
BEEN DEALING WITH THIS YEAR.
THE PEOPLE WHO GOT THEIR
VACCINES TODAY ARE JUST A FEW OF
THE NURSES AND DOCTORS THAT WORK
WITH COVID PATIENTS EVERY SINGLE
DAY. SOME OF THEM ARE STILL
WORKING 12 HOUR SHIFTS, AND
AFTER GETTING THE VACCINE, THEY
WENT RIGHT BACK TO CARING FOR
THE PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL.
THE INFECTION PREVENTIONIST AT
CHRISTUS ST. ELIZABETH HELPED
ADMINISTER THE VACCINE --
ALTHOUGH SHE HASN'T RECEIVED IT,
SHE SAID THIS DAY STILL JUST AS
SPECIAL.
THE FIVE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE
REPRESENTED HERE TODAY ARE PART
OF OUR FRONTLINE TEAMS, AND TO
KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF THEM
BEING PROTECTED TO CONTINUE TO
CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS
AWESOME.
KARIE SAYS SHE'LL BE RECEIVING
HER VACCINE TOMORROW -- WE
ACTUALLY SPOKE TO HER A COUPLE
OF MONTHS AGO AND TALKED TO HER
ABOUT RECOVERING COVID PATIENTS
AND HOW THE HOSPITAL WAS FULL OF
JOY EVERY TIME THEY GOT TO SEND
SOMEONE HOME AFTER SPENDING
WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL.
I ASKED A COUPLE OF THE NURSES
AND DOCTORS, WHAT'S BEEN THE
HARDEST PART THIS YEAR -- THEY
ALL SAID IT WAS FEELING HOPELESS
AND USELESS WHEN THEY KNEW THERE
WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO
HELP SOME OF THEIR PATIENTS. SO
GETTING THE VACCINE TODAY TRULY
IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END.
CHRISTY WRIGHT-- A MEDCENTER
NURSE--
NURSE-- AND THE FIRST TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS-- SAYING TONIGHT-- QUOTE-- "I
WANT TO DO ALL I CAN TO HELP NOT
SPREAD THIS DEADLY VIRUS."
12NEWS REPORTER ALMIYA WHITE
SPOKE TO HER TODAY--
DEJ -- CHRISTY WRIGHT SAID
SHE'S PRETTY MUCH DOING HER
PART. BOTH OF HER PARENTS
BATTLED THE VIRUS OVER THE
SUMMER. EVENTUALLY -- SHE LOST
HER DAD TO THIS DEADLY VIRUS. SO
SHE FELT LIKE IT WAS HER DUTY TO
GET THIS VACCINE.
AS YOU CAN SEE SHE HELD UP HER
END OF THE DEAL -- BY TAKING A
SHOT OF THE PFIZER VACCINE TO
THE ARM.
THE ARM.
SHE'S
SHE'S REIGSTERED NURSE WHO WORKS ON THE FLOOR LEVEL WITH COVID PATIENTS. SO SHE IS EXPOSED TO
THIS VIRUS DAILY. ON ANOTHER
NOTE -- BAPTIST HOPSITAL ALSO
OVERWHELMED WITH JOY. THEIR
SHIPEMENT ARRIVED AROUND 9:40
THIS MORNING. BRENDA JOHNSON
PHARMACY OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR
THOSE WHO DO WISH TO GET THE
VACCINE THEY'LL BE GIFTED WITH
SOMETHING IN RETURN.
SOT: WE ARE GIVING STICKERS
JUST TO CONGRATULATE THEM AND
FOR THEM TO DISPLAY THAT THEY
HAVE GOTTEN VACCINATED."
TOMORROW MORNING THEY WILL HOLD
A VACCINE TRAIL RUN WITH FIVE
PHYSICIANS WHO WORKS DIRECTLY
WITH COVID-19 PATIENTS. THE
PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING RUNS SMOOTHLY ON
MONDAY. NOW -- BAPTIST WILL
BEGIN ADMINISTER THE VACCINE TO
STAFF MEMBERS OVER THE NEXT TWO
WEEKS MONDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY.
NOW -- BAPTIST WILL OFFICALLY
BEGIN ADMINISTER THE VACCINE TO
STAFF MEMBERS OVER THE NEXT TWO
WEEKS MONDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. IN BEAUMONT. ALMIYA
WHITE. 12NEWS.
NOW THAT TEXANS ARE RECEIVING
THE FIRST SHOT OF HOPE-- WHAT
HAPPENS NEXT? 110 PROVIDERS HAVE
ALREADY RECEIVED THE VACCINE--
AND ACCORDIGN TO GOVERNOR GREG
ABBOTT-- EVEN MORE WILL BE
SHIPPING OUT NEXT WEEK. OUR
12NEWS INVESTIGATOR LAUREN
HENSLEY CONTINUES OUR LIVE TEAM
COVERAGE. LAUREN, WHAT ELSE
DO WE KNOW?
DEJ/JORDAN- OUTSIDE OF A U-P-S
DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN AUSTIN
... GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT PRAISED
ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT HAVE
WORKED HARD TO GET THESE
VACCINES DELIVERED. AND HE
SAYS THEIR WORK ISN'T DONE
YET... BECAUSE MORE VACCINES
WILL BE ON THE WAY.
GOV. ABBOTT CALLED OPERATIONAL
WRAPPED SPEED A "MONUMENTAL
MEDICAL MIRACLE." AS OF
THURSDAY -- 224-THOUSAND
VACCINES HAVE ARRIVED IN TEXAS.
WITH THE MODERNA VACCINE NOW
APPROVED BY THE F-D-A..... HE
SAID THE STATE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
HAVE MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE
VACCINATED BY THE END OF THE
MONTH. IN THE NEAR FUTURE-- THE
GOVERNOR SAYS THERE ARE PLANS TO
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS
WHO WILL RECEIVE AND CAN
ADMINISTER THE VACCINE.
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.
THIS WEEK-- AT LEAST 23
PROVIDERS RECEIVED SHIPMENTS OF
THE VACCINE BEFORE 87 OTHER
PROVIDERS IN
PROVIDERS IN
TEXAS
TEXAS INCLUDING OUR THREE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. WE REACHED OUT TO THE STATE-- TO FIND OUT
IF THEY EXPECT SIMILAR DELAYS. A
SPOKESPERSON SAID-- SHIPPING IS
OUT OF THE STATE'S CONTROL...
AND IT'S UNLIKELY THAT ALL THE
ALLOCATIONS OF THE VACCINE WILL
ARRIVE ON THE SAME DAY.
SAYING NEXT WEEK THE NUMBER OF
PROVIDERS WILL INCREASE FROM 110
TO 1,000 PROVIDERS. LAUREN
HENSLEY 12NEWS.
PAUSE BREAKING NEWS OPEN
BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT-- THE FDA
PANEL IS RECOMMENDING THE
MODERNA VACCINE RECEIVE
EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION.
FINAL APPROVAL WILL LIKELY
HAPPEN TODAY OR TOMORROW. THEN--
MODERNA IS EXPECTED TO SHIP OUT
5.9 MILLION DOSES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY NEXT WEEK.
AND IT'S COMING AT JUST THE
RIGHT TIME. BREAKING
TONIGHT-- THE STATE IS
REPORTING A A RECORD HIGH NUMBER
OF NEW INFECTIONS.
TOTALING TO NEARLY 17-
THOUSAND-- ACCORDING TO D-
S-H-S.
HERE AT HOME-- WE'RE
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.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE A BEAUTIFUL
AFTERNOON-- BUT WAS DEFINITELY A BIT FRIGID AND FROSTY THIS MORNING! HERE'S
A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE FROM OUR
ROOFING 911 SKYCAM NETWORK--
AT THE CAM IN .
CHIEF METEOROLOGIST PATRICK
VAUGHN IS TRACKING ANOTHER SUNNY
DAY IN THE FORECAST FOR TOMORROW
--WITH WARMER TEMPS.
GOOD EVENING SE TEXAS! LOW
TEMPERATURES THIS MORNING
WERE
WERE IN
WERE IN THE LOWER 30S ACROSS MUCH OF SE TEXAS. AND ANOTHER FROSTY NIGHT IS IN STORE FOR SE
TEXAS WITH LOWS TEMPERATURES
RIGHT AT
RIGHT AT
FREEZING
FREEZING JUST NORTH OF INTERSTATE TEN TO THE MIDDLE/UPPER 30S SOUTH.
CURRENTLY, SKIES ARE CLEAR AND
WINDS ARE LIGHT. TEMPERATURES
ARE
ARE IN
ARE IN THE MIDDLE 40S TO LOWER 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.
NEW TONIGHT-- WE'RE LEARNING
MORE ABOUT BEAUMONT BUSINESS
WOMAN BIGUITA HERNANDEZ-SMITH--
WHO JUST ANNOUNCED THAT SHE
PLANS TO RUN FOR MAYOR.
HERNANDEZ-SMITH AND HER FAMILY
HAVE LIVED IN BEAUMONT FOR FOUR
YEARS.
AND SHE HAS MORE THAN 20 YEARS
OF EXPERIENCE IN MULTIPLE
SECTORS . HER PLATFORM
INCLUDES -- EDUCATION
--TRAINING AND JOBS FOR
SOUTHEAST TEXANS. UNITY.
COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMNT
RELATIONS AND DOWNTOWN
RESTORATION.
IT WAS A SPIRITUAL CALLING FROM
GOD THAT LED ME FIRST OFF. AND
THEN IT'S JUST BEING ABLE TO
POUR IN THE EXPERIENCE THAT I
HAVE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ON A
GRANDER SCALE.. TO GROW BEAUMONT
HERNANDEZ-SMITH SAYS SHE WILL
HAVE A BIG FOCUS ON CRIME IN
BEAUMONT. SHE WANTS TO USE HER
PLATFORM TO PROVIDE MORE TO THE
PEOPLE AND TO WORK WITH THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FIGHT OFF
THE CRIME. SHE FACES AT LEAST
TWO OTHER CHALLENGERS.
RIGHT NOW-- HOLDUPS ON
COVID-19 RELIEF TALKS MAY FORCE
CONGRESSMEN TO STAY IN
WASHINGTON OVER THE WEEKEND. THE
CURRENT 900 BILLION DOLLAR
BIPARTISAN RELIEF PACKAGE--
IS TIED TO A SPENDING BILL--
THAT NEEDS TO PASS-- IN ORDER OT
KEEP THE GOVERNMENT RUNNING
AFTER FRIDAY. A PART OF THIS
CURRENT DEAL-- 600 DOLLARS IN
DIRECT PAYMENTS TO AMERICANS--
AND AN 300 DOLLARS A WEEK FOR
THE UNEMPLOYED. WE'LL
CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE
DISCUSSIONS.
AND-- THE DEADLIES MONTH IN
SOUTHEAST