Abbott announces “Save our Seniors” initiative to vaccinate housebound seniors in Texas

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott Feb. 25 held a press conference in Corpus Christi where he announced the statewide Save Our Seniors initiative to vaccinate homebound seniors across Texas.

During the press conference, the Governor also commended the Corpus Christi Fire Department, Meals on Wheels of Corpus Christi, and the City of Corpus Christi for the success of their homebound senior vaccination program which serves as a model for the statewide initiative.

“A key part of our mission in the fight against COVID-19 is to vaccinate seniors and those who are most at risk — and senior vaccination programs like the one in Corpus Christi are crucial to accomplishing this mission,” said Governor Abbott. “I am proud of the work being done by the Corpus Christi Fire Department, Meals On Wheels, and city leadership to identify and vaccinate homebound seniors in their community. By implementing a similar model throughout the state, and with the support of the Texas National Guard, we will reach more homebound seniors in communities across Texas and provide them with these life-saving vaccines.”

As part of the statewide Save Our Seniors Initiative, the state will deploy more than 1,100 National Guardsmen to assist communities in vaccinating homebound seniors.

The guardsmen will be broken up into teams that will deploy across the state.

Some members of these teams will focus on identifying and registering homebound seniors for the program while others will visit homes and administer vaccines.

The state is dedicating up to 8,000 vaccines to this initiative for the first week and will work with organizations like Meals On Wheels and nursing groups to identify homebound seniors who volunteer to be vaccinated. The program will launch Monday.

The Governor was joined for the press conference by Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd, Senator Juan Hinojosa, Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales, Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha, Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo, Corpus Christi City Manager Peter Zanoni, Nueces, Corpus Christi City Councilman Michael Hunter, and Corpus Christi Senior Community Services Superintendent Lisa Oliver.