Southeast Texas doctors are preparing for the first wave of coronavirus vaccines to hit the region in less than two weeks.

Texas will receive more than 1.4 million doses this month, and one hospital in Southeast Texas is already preparing for distribution. "All of the doctors who I know including myself, we are ready to take that vaccine once it is available," Baptist Lead Intensivist Dr. Qamar U. Arfeen said. "We're all very excited about this vaccine." "Of course, we are excited," he said. "We have been informed we'll get them on the week of the 14th." Many people feel like there is a glimmer of hope amid the COVID-19 pandemic, because help is on the way. Baptist Hospital is getting about 900 doses of the vaccine, Arfeen said.

"The instructions from the state are that the health care workers are the first people who are going to get this vaccine," he said. Health care workers on the frontlines will be the first to get the vaccine once it is approved by the FDA, including the nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, housekeeping and lab personnel. "Baptist hospital has set up an outpatient facility where they're going to give the vaccine to the healthcare workers, based on the guidelines, which are being given to us by the state," he said. Within those guidelines, the vaccine requires two doses, administered roughly a month apart. "They have outlined where they have a setup of the place to store the vaccine," he siad. All vaccines will be stored in an ultra refrigerator set to negative 70 degrees Celsius. Dr. Arfeen hopes the vaccine will help control the surge both Baptist Hospital and St. Elizabeth's are seeing right now.

The general public should have access to the virus by April 2021 or sooner, Arfeen said.

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