Introducing Coryell Health COVID-19 Response Team! This group is a significant part of our continued response to implement strategies to keep our community safe and defeat Coronavirus! We want to say thank you to this group and other volunteers, for working in the cold, on their feet, from sun up to sun down, with the mission to provide the life-saving vaccinations to individuals from all over the state. Coryell continues to receive more vaccines due to our Vaccine Hub status. Please continue to check our website www.coryellhealth.org/vaccines to check for openings.
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Got Plaque? Access your risk for heart attack or stroke with Calcium Scoring
Get a Calcium Scan done to understand your future risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
FIND OUT YOUR SCORE
Book During February/March $50 │Same Day Appointments │Results in 24/48 Hours
Call (254) 865-2166 for appointments.
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring, also called a coronary calcium scan, is a test that measures the amount of calcium in the walls of the heart’s arteries.
Every person with a moderate risk of heart disease can benefit from a heart CT scan
Early detection of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in and on artery walls, could save lives. Plaque that builds up in blood vessels can eventually burst and cause blood clots, leading to a heart attack or stroke. The greater the coronary calcium score, the larger the amount of plaque is in the artery wall, and the greater the risk of a heart attack. The calcium score is thus a good predictor of a heart attack, giving your doctor valuable information to factor into your plan of care.
Book your appointment from now until the end of March and receive the test for HALF OFF regular pricing.
To find out more about calcium scoring, please visit heart.org.
Coryell Health Vaccine & Weather Update
• If you have a vaccine appointment, but would like to reschedule due to weather, you will not lose your spot.
• If you have a vaccine appointment today, please drive up under the awning over Coryell Health Medical Clinic, Building 2.
• Coryell Health staff will be contacting all patients scheduled for COVID vaccines this afternoon and tomorrow to reschedule your appointment next week.
Saturday’s 2nd Dose Clinic Will Be Held as Scheduled
• Please check our website or Facebook for future updates
• Saturday, Feb 13, 2021, Vaccine Clinic has no openings and is for 2nd dose vaccine patients only
Quick Care Clinic Closing at 5pm Today, Feb 11th
• To ensure the safety of our staff and patients during this inclement weather, Coryell Health Quick Care Walk-In Clinic will close at 5pm
Coryell Health Provides Drive-Thru Vaccine Clinic in Copperas Cove
Coryell Health administered 600 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a drive-thru vaccination clinic in Copperas Cove on Saturday. The city of Copperas Cove worked in conjunction with the Copperas Cove Independent School District, Coryell Health, Coryell County, and numerous support groups helped host the COVID‐19 vaccination drive-thru clinic in Copperas Cove from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a news release from Gary Young, the Copperas Cove emergency management coordinator.
The clinic was held at Copperas Cove High School’s rear parking lot at 851 W. Ave D, and those getting a vaccine were required to be a Texas resident and pre-approved through an appointment. As is the case across the nation, all appointment slots filled up Tuesday within an hour of the slots being available online, according to Young.
Texas Health and Human Services (THHS) continues to provide guidelines for who is allowed to receive the vaccine. People who meet the 1A and 1B criteria are eligible to be vaccinated.
1A includes front-line healthcare workers and residents at long-term care facilities plus people over 65 or with a chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID‑19, according to the state health department.
The 1B criteria refers to People 65 years of age and older or people 16 years old and older with at least one chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19, according to the state health department. As Coryell Health receives vaccine shipments, dates for future vaccine clinics will be provided on our website for registration.
Dr. Diedra Wuenschel, Coryell Health physician, Medical Clinic Director and Coryell County Health Authority stated, “It’s a vital part of our mission to preserve the health of the communities we serve and providing a drive-thru vaccine clinic in Copperas Cove was a natural next step after the smooth event we had in Gatesville only a few weeks prior. We’ve been doing vehicle testing at our clinic, and we’ve been doing outside car medical visits. The amount of vaccine shipments from THHS determines how many appointments Coryell can make available. We hope to continue receiving more vaccine from the state, so we can protect more people.”
When Coryell Health receives the next vaccine shipment, open appointments will be available on our website at www.coryellhealth.org/vaccine, or read more at http://lnk4u.us/YhJm9lC.
Coryell Health Offers Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Care to Patients of All Ages
Central Texas Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Center physician, Dr. Paul Bednarz to provide treatment for all areas of foot and ankle reconstruction and traumatic repair.
Coryell Health welcomes Dr. Paul Bednarz, board certified orthopedic surgeon, with a subspecialty in foot and ankle surgery. Foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons are able to effectively treat complex lower extremity conditions in conjunction with the rest of the body. They specifically evaluate foot problems but can also review other orthopedic issues that may be contributing to foot and ankle pain.
With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Bednarz specializes in all areas of foot and ankle reconstruction and traumatic repair to include fractures, sports injuries, overuse injuries, ligament injuries, ligament reconstruction, tendinitis, tendon injuries, bunions, toe deformities, arthritis, joint preservation, fusions, joint replacement and complex osteotomies.
Dr. Bednarz is seeing patients in Coryell Health Medical Building 2, as well as Coryell Health Medical Clinic- Waco. The Waco clinic is located off of Franklin Drive and Hwy 84.
To find out more about Dr. Bednarz and Central Texas Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Center visit https://www.ctxfootankle.com/. To make an appointment, ask your primary care provider to send a referral to Dr. Bednarz office.
Phone (254) 313-9559 | Fax (254) 522-7964 | Email: info@ctofac.com
Secure Text Message Will Be Sent to Schedule 2nd Vaccine
If you have received your first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at Coryell Health, you will be receiving a secure text message that contains a link for scheduling your second dose. Expect to receive this text message 5-7 days prior to your second dose due date. If you do not have access to text messaging, you will receive a phone call from Coryell Health to schedule your second dose appointment.
Coryell Health Administers +1,000 Vaccines in 3 Days- Currently Awaiting More to Come
Coryell Health hosted a mass vaccination clinic, vaccinating 765 people on Saturday, and over 1,000 since receiving the vaccines on Thursday. Coryell Health was designated a COVID-19 vaccination hub last week.
In coordination with city and county officials, it was determined the best way to get as many individuals vaccinated quickly, would be to host a drive-thru vaccination clinic at the Gatesville Civic Center to ensure the safety of both volunteers and vaccine recipients.
Coryell Health opened up the appointment only schedule online, and as the case across the state, appointments filled up within minutes.
“This was a natural next step when we found out we would be a Vaccine Hub. We’ve been doing vehicle testing at our clinic, and we’ve been doing outside car medical visits,” said Dr. Diedra Wuenschel, Coryell Health Medical Clinic Director and Coryell County Health Authority. “It’s a vital part of our mission to preserve the health of the communities we serve. We were concerned that rural areas wouldn’t receive enough vaccines, so we applied to be a vaccine hub and the state approved us. We ended the vaccine clinic on Saturday without any vaccines left- another step toward leaving the pandemic in the past.”
“We are making plans for the future on how we will strategically disseminate vaccines to Coryell County over the next weeks and months,” said David Byrom, CEO of Coryell. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have had to respond quickly to challenges presented in this rapidly evolving situation. Expediting vaccination against COVID-19 is extremely important to us. The amount of vaccine received determines how many appointments Coryell can make available. We hope we can begin receiving more vaccine from the state, so we can protect more people.”
When Coryell Health receives the next vaccine shipment, open appointments will be available on our website at www.coryellhealth.org/vaccine.
Coryell Health Named Vaccination Hub While Awaiting Another Vaccine Shipment
Coryell Health is excited to announce that we have been designated as a Covid-19 Vaccination Hub. This means that we will be receiving shipments of vaccine over the next several weeks in order to begin vaccinating Texas residents. Coryell Health is scheduled to receive our first shipment of Pfizer vaccines for the community this week and have scheduled an appointment only vaccination clinic on Saturday, January 23 at the Gatesville Civic Center. All appointments have been filled for the vaccination clinic on Saturday and we currently have no availability for this event.
Please check the following website link to www.coryellhealth.org/vaccine
Commonly Asked Questions:
Can I call and leave my name on a waiting list for the vaccine?
The Covid-19 vaccine waiting list is no longer available. Please visit our website at coryellhealth.org to obtain the registration link to sign up for the vaccine.
Can I call for a vaccine appointment?
No, all appointments must be made through the website link https://app.blockitnow.com/consumer/coryell-health.
How does the link work?
The link will remain the same for all vaccine events and can be checked as frequently as you would like. It is located on our website (coryellhealth.org). Appointments will be opened up as we receive vaccine.
I put my name on the waiting list, does this confirm my appointment?
No, this does not. You must complete registration through the link in order to confirm registration. You will receive a confirmation of your appointments once registered.
I got a text, but when I clicked on the link, I was not able to select a time. Do I have an appointment?
If you were not able to schedule a time, you do not have an appointment. Please continue to check the website for newly opened appointments at www.coryellhealth.org/vaccine
Can I walk-in to the clinic scheduled for Saturday and receive a vaccine?
The clinic on Saturday is for appointment only. We will not have available vaccines to administer for walk-ins.
Will you get more vaccines?
We hope to be receiving vaccine weekly from the state and will be making these available to the community as we receive them. Please check our website for updates on future shipments and open appointments.
COVID-19 hotline voicemail box (not for appointments):
(254) 248-6381
COVID-19 Vaccine email:
covidvaccine@coryellhealth.org
Coryell Health Waiting for Another Shipment of COVID-19 Vaccine
Coryell Health was informed by the state today that we would not be receiving an additional shipment of COVID-19 vaccines this week, and we do not know when or how many we may be receiving.
“In some ways, Coryell Health is lucky to have received the vaccines we have, as sixteen hospitals in Texas have not received any vaccines. Some of those hospitals have been able to benefit by sharing of other hospitals or clinics, but some haven’t any doses for their front line workers,” says Dr. Jeff Bates, Coryell Health Chief Medical Officer, “We are all at the mercy of the state.”
Coryell Health received our first shipment of 600 COVID-19 vaccines on December 23, 2020. Those have been administered by clinics in Gatesville and Goldthwaite to front line health workers and staff, first responders, essential workers and residents of our Coryell Health RehabLiving and Assisted & Independent Living at The Oaks, as well as Hillview Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), vaccine distribution will continue to happen in phases, with frontline health care workers being Phase 1 and Phase 2 will focus on increasing the number of doses to critical populations. The general public is expected to get vaccinated beginning in July, according to state health officials.
“Once we receive another shipment, we will implement our distribution plan to offer the vaccine to Phase 2,” adds Dr. Bates. Coryell Health will follow DSHS published immunization guidelines regarding patients who will receive the vaccine first.
If you would like to contact our COVID-19 hotline to be added to the list for the vaccine, please call (254) 248-6381 and follow the prompts for more information. To be the first to receive updates from Coryell Health, please sign up here for our newsletter https://coryellhealth.org/resources/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/.
Towns with hospitals that have not received vaccine shipment: Borger, Graham, Muenster, Rankin, Sonora, Yoakum, Taylor, Rice, Chambers, Brenham, Glen Rose, Eden, Lampasas, Crockett, Anson, and Haskell
Resources:
COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation-Week 5
https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine.aspx
Coryell Health Waiting for Another Shipment of COVID-19 Vaccine
Coryell Health was informed by the state today that we would not be receiving an additional shipment of COVID-19 vaccines this week, and we do not know when or how many we may be receiving.
“In some ways, Coryell Health is lucky to have received the vaccines we have, as sixteen hospitals in Texas have not received any vaccines. Some of those hospitals have been able to benefit by sharing of other hospitals or clinics, but some haven’t any doses for their front line workers,” says Dr. Jeff Bates, Coryell Health Chief Medical Officer, “We are all at the mercy of the state.”
Coryell Health received our first shipment of 600 COVID-19 vaccines on December 23, 2020. Those have been administered by clinics in Gatesville and Goldthwaite to front line health workers and staff, first responders, essential workers and residents of our Coryell Health RehabLiving and Assisted & Independent Living at The Oaks, as well as Hillview Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), vaccine distribution will continue to happen in phases, with frontline health care workers being Phase 1 and Phase 2 will focus on increasing the number of doses to critical populations. The general public is expected to get vaccinated beginning in July, according to state health officials.
“Once we receive another shipment, we will implement our distribution plan to offer the vaccine to Phase 2,” adds Dr. Bates. Coryell Health will follow DSHS published immunization guidelines regarding patients who will receive the vaccine first.
If you would like to contact our COVID-19 hotline to be added to the list for the vaccine, please call (254) 248-6381 and follow the prompts for more information. To be the first to receive updates from Coryell Health, please sign up here for our newsletter https://coryellhealth.org/resources/subscribe-to-our-newsletter/.
Towns with hospitals that have not received vaccine shipment: Borger, Graham, Muenster, Rankin, Sonora, Yoakum, Taylor, Rice, Chambers, Brenham, Glen Rose, Eden, Lampasas, Crockett, Anson, and Haskell
Resources:
COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation-Week 5
https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine.aspx
Executive Order Allows Elective Surgeries to Continue in Coryell County
According to Executive Order GA-32, there has been a restriction issued for trauma service L, which includes Coryell County, stating elective surgeries must be canceled. However, there is a stipulation in that order that states we do not have to cancel elective surgeries if we have available beds and adequate supplies. The news did not mention this detail, so we thought it was pertinent to inform our community of the guidelines allowing us to continue surgeries. At this time, we have beds and adequate supplies so we are not canceling elective surgeries. Coryell Health Medical Surgical Executive Council met and determined individual the surgeons may determine what cases are booked at this time. The surgical schedule is being evaluated daily to determine if changes are needed, with consideration of bed availability and supply lines. If you have questions about an upcoming surgery, please contact your surgeon’s office.
4 Tips for Traveling Safely This Winter
COVID-19 has made traveling far more complicated, especially with mask-wearing and social distancing. Plus, getting tested at an urgent care facility or another medical provider is required by many states. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a vacation or make an essential work trip safely. Following best practices can prevent infection and keep you healthy.
How to Travel Safely During COVID-19
1. Check Local Requirements
Many states, cities, and municipalities have specific rules, requirements, and restrictions around COVID-19. Look them up before booking and again prior to leaving. They’re constantly being updated and changed based on positivity rates and other factors. For example, some states require you to show a negative COVID-19 test or prove that you’ve been in quarantine.
2. Travel by Car
Taking an automobile is the safest way to travel, as you can easily social distance. However, make sure to check for road closures and confirm your hotel reservations. If you need to take an airplane, air circulation can lower the risks. Still, try to book a non-stop flight, wash your hands regularly, social distance, and wear your mask diligently, making sure to cover your mouth and nose.
3. Pack the Right Supplies
In addition to your regular packing list, bring along pandemic-essential items. For example, take hand sanitizers, a thermometer, wipes, and extra masks. These products will be essential for keeping your hands clean, following local regulations, and checking for a temperature if you suspect that you’re sick.
4. Limit Indoor Time
Rather than eating in a restaurant, enjoy your meal outdoors or inside your car. In fact, it’s best to take along your own food and water. Also, stick with activities that can be enjoyed outside, such as hiking, fishing, swimming, sight-seeing in a car, or kayaking. If you rent any equipment, make sure to sanitize it before using it.
If you need COVID-19 testing or treatment, contact Coryell Health. We’re based in Gatesville and serve residents of Coryell County and Central Texas. Our health care organization has been working with patients and providing urgent care since 1942. We offer access to a wide array of services, from virtual medical appointments to COVID-19 care. Call (254) 865-8251 to set up an appointment with one of our providers, or visit our website to learn more about our urgent care options.