NRG Community Vaccination site to remain open for 4 more weeks, Hidalgo says

HOUSTON – After receiving requests for an extension from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Mayor Sylvester Turner and other officials, FEMA and the Texas Division of Emergency Management have agreed to extend the duration of the vaccination site at NRG.

Hidalgo shared a tweet Tuesday saying the agencies had agreed to allow the site to remain active for four more weeks.

“Sylvester Turner and I asked, and they delivered,” Hidalgo said in the tweet. “Our NRG operation continues breaking records in delivering vaccines. Let’s keep a good thing going.”

On Wednesday evening, Gov. Greg Abbott said Fema partially approved the request to extend operations at the vaccination centers in Arlington, Dallas and Houston through May 18.

FEMA’s extension includes federal personnel who will continue to assist in operating the sites — an extension of federal supplies and doses of vaccines will be provided by the state.

“Thank you to FEMA for extending the use of federal personnel at these mass vaccination sites through the middle of May,” said Abbott. “Where the federal government falls short, Texas will step in by providing the supplies and vaccine doses needed to keep these successful sites operational. We will continue to work with our federal and local partners to ensure our communities have access to COVID-19 vaccines.”

Neither FEMA or the TDEM have issued statements on the extension.