Dallas COVID-19 Vaccination Hub Set to Open at Potter’s House – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
Thursday, the City of Dallas COVID-19 vaccine hub is set to open at the parking lot of the Potter’s House church.
The megachurch, located at 6777 West Kiest Boulevard in the southwest part of the city, will be the replacement for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, as first reported by NBC 5’s media partner The Dallas Morning News.
“I’m thrilled that we’re able to set up a vaccination hub at a southern Dallas institution like @TPHDallas,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wrote in a tweet Thursday morning. “We must ensure our underserved communities receive equitable access, and I hope this hub will send a strong signal to all our communities that the vaccine is for everyone.”
Johnson said the urgency to get more people vaccinated was more important than ever following Gov. Greg Abbott’s move to end a statewide mask mandate and restrictions on occupancy rates.
“You know there is no heavy lifting on our end. It’s our overflow parking lot. It is available right now because we are virtual,” Potter House Chief Operating Officer Frank Dryer said. “So, it just makes sense to step up to do what we’ve got to do an organization. Making vaccines available to those that want them in the southwestern sector of the city – it just makes sense.”
Dyer said the partnership was born of an already strong relationship with the city, as well as the church’s ability to host upwards of 7,000 people on any given day.
“I want to thank The Potter’s House for allowing us to use their site to give out the COVID-19 vaccine. During the pandemic, @TPHDallas and @BishopJakes have been great partners,” Johnson wrote on Twitter. “We must all work together to get everyone in our community vaccinated.”
“From the location itself – it’s going to serve some of those areas that truly need it more and access to vaccinations,” Dryer said. “If you look at where we are located and the ZIP codes, it’s going to have a pretty large impact in Black and brown communities and that’s where we are.”
According to The Dallas Morning News, the city’s emergency management director, Rocky Vaz, said the new location would help ease congestion downtown and allow firefighters, who are currently administering shots, to return to their normal duties.
The city is contracting with American Medical Response to operate the vaccination clinic at The Potter’s House.
