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‘Thank you, science’: Turner, Hidalgo discuss Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Houston

HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and City of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner received an update on the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Houston Methodist Tuesday and visited with frontline healthcare workers receiving the vaccine.

MORE ON THE VACCINE ROLLOUT IN HOUSTON

In her remarks, Hidalgo said of the vaccine, “You just can’t produce them all at once but for now, we have to honor these health care workers, we are glad to see they are protected and for our part to make sure that we don’t continue filling their hospitals, we don’t continue seeing the losses we’ve been seeing, it’s imperative for folks to remember that we are not through with this yet. And while there is hope on the horizon, folks still need to get tested, folks need to cancel gatherings, folks need to make sure and wear their face coverings. We’re going to get through it. We’re all exhausted but we’re nothing if not resilient and so, what a joy to have a cause for celebration this year. Truly we needed that, but let’s keep pushing.”

Turner walked through the vaccine staging area and said, “I never thought I’d be excited to see arms with Band-Aids on them.”

“This has been an unprecedented year,” Turner said in his remarks. “This has been a very painful year for so many families a year of uncertainty for so many others. ... It’s just been a very tough year, but when I walked in, just to the hospital and to this room, to feel the excitement and to see the smiles in people’s eyes -- even with the masks on -- and we were not giving away gifts underneath the tree, but shots were being given, vaccines were being taken, and people were literally giddy, it does say that even in the midst of a storm, there’s still a rainbow in the sky and today, for the city of Houston and for so many cities around the country, there is a rainbow in the sky.”

" ... Let me just encourage people to hold on a little longer, people trust their health care providers and to see the health care providers taking this vaccine and being excited about taking the vaccine sends a positive message to the city of Houston so let me thank you all not only for being on the front lines in terms of taking care of coronavirus patients, but also being on the frontline of getting this vaccine. And let me encourage other people in the city when your opportunity comes, let me encourage you to take the vaccine itself. Not to say no, not to delay, not to hold off, but when you’re able to take it, please take it. Because literally it can mean the difference between being in the hospital or not being in the hospital, living rather than dying. So I’m excited about today. Thank you, science. Thank you to medicine. Thank you, technology. Thank you, health care providers.”


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