Dear Friends,

Right now almost 5 million American households are left without electricity across Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana as dangerous and record-setting winter weather ravaged the Central United States, blasting sub-freezing arctic air all the way south to the Mexican border. I sent a letter to Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) seeking answers for why power has not returned to Texas families.

While getting the lights back would always be a top priority, it is even greater since we are still battling this Coronavirus, and this severe weather may cause widespread delays in COVID-19 vaccine shipments. The weather is expected to impact shipments out of the FedEx facility in Memphis, TN and the UPS facility in Louisville, KY. 

National Updates:
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is partnering with the Department of Defense (DOD) to invest $650 million in testing capabilities for K-8 schools and underserved congregate settings through coordination hubs.

• HHS and DOD will invest $815 million to increase domestic manufacturing of testing supplies and raw materials.
• HHS granted Retractable Technologies based in Little Elm, TX, a $54.2 million contract for COVID-19 vaccine syringes.

The Centers for Drug Control and Prevention are investing $200 million to increase genomic sequencing efforts of the virus to better understand variants. 

The World Health Organization granted the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine emergency use listing.  

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled, The FDA’s Experience with COVID-19 Antibody Tests. 

Texas Updates:
HHS Acting Secretary Cochran declared the State of Texas as being in a public health emergency since February 11, 2021.

• Waiver or Modification of Requirements under Sec. 1135 of the Social Security Act can be viewed here.

Week 11 vaccine allocations will be posted here.
**Please note that shipments of vaccines will be delayed due to the weather.

If a power outage prevents hospitals and vaccine providers from storing the COVID-19 vaccine properly, DSHS announced vaccines may be transferred to another facility.

• DSHS also recommended that vaccines be provided to any willing person if the vaccine cannot be stored properly to avoid waste.

Water Distribution Centers are set up at the following locations in North Fort Worth:

• Fire Station 9, 2575 Polaris Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76137.
• Fire Station 31, 4209 Longstraw Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76137.
• Fire Station 38, 13280 Park Vista Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76248.
• Trinity Springs Middle School (Keller ISD), 3350 Keller Hicks Road, Fort Worth, TX 76244.

Until tomorrow, this is your doctor's note.

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D.