Health care worker Mary Carreon administers a COVID-19 vaccine to an elderly patient in Laredo on Feb. 1.
During an emergency city council meeting last week, Laredo officials passed a motion to request that the federal government send National Guard troops to help distribute vaccines.
Treviño, the Laredo health authority, has repeatedly argued against stricter measures because of the economic damage they can cause.
Martinez, the city council member, said many residents live paycheck-to-paycheck and don’t have savings to help them survive a city lockdown.
“The little carnita asadas, the barbecues — as a result, we have high numbers of infections, and so one begets the other.”Richard Chamberlain, the city’s health director, said the best way out of the city’s COVID-19 crisis is through vaccinations.