Biden and Abbott say there will be enough vaccines by May. When can you expect one in Dallas County?

With three COVID-19 vaccines approved and more distribution sites, North Texans are wondering when it will be their turn for a shot in the arm.

Until recently, only healthcare workers, Texans over 65, and those with certain underlying health conditions were eligible for the vaccine. Eligibility was expanded on Wednesday when the state’s health department announced that teachers, school workers and babysitters in Texas were now eligible.

But when can healthy people under the age of 65 who aren’t working in education or health care expect to be vaccinated – especially as Dallas County said it couldn’t prioritize teachers yet because supplies and advice are scarce?

As of Friday, more than 4 million Texans have received at least one dose of a vaccine and more than 2.2 million are fully vaccinated, according to the state’s health department. In Dallas County, more than 324,000 have received at least one dose and more than 185,000 have been fully immunized, according to state data.

President Joe Biden announced this week that the United States expects to have enough vaccines for every adult in the country by the end of May. Gov. Greg Abbott suggested on Friday that Texas could open up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to the general public in May.

“It’ll probably be more like early May, as opposed to late April, when anyone who wants a photo can get one,” Abbott said at a press conference in Tyler.

But whether the United States will be able to distribute them all in time for Memorial Day weekend is another question.

“ The main thing is the offer ”

In about a year, Dallas County went from its first confirmed cases to vaccinating more than 324,000 residents, which is a remarkable achievement in the eyes of Dr Philip Huang, director of health and human services for the County of Dallas. Dallas.

“It’s really amazing,” Huang said. “It’s an incredible scientific achievement. It’s great.

Yet, Huang admitted, there is still work to be done and more shooting weapons.

“Nothing has been perfect,” Huang said. “Bottom line: we all want more vaccines, but that’s a limitation.”

While he was encouraged to hear from Biden that the United States should have enough doses for every adult by the end of May, distributing them will be a challenge, Huang said.

“We want everyone to get the vaccine,” Huang said, “the main thing is the supply.”

Huang said he hoped more groups would become eligible in the coming weeks and months, and that by the summer, the vaccine will be widely available to all. Huang noted that he has not received any indication from the state health department who will be included in the next group or when this eligibility will begin.

Abbott hinted on Friday that Texas would soon name the next priority vaccination group. It is not yet clear who will be included.

The decision is guided by the 17-member state vaccine allocation expert group, which is made up of lawmakers, state officials and public health experts. Ultimately, the State Department’s Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt has the final say.

If the vaccine is widely available by the summer, Huang said, Dallas County could approach herd immunity by August.

The Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation is forecasting an earlier target for herd immunity, estimating the county could reach the threshold by June. However, achieving herd immunity will largely depend on whether residents continue to take appropriate precautions such as wearing masks and social distancing even after being vaccinated, Huang said.

And while there have been only four reported cases of the more contagious B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant in Dallas County, Huang said more cases of the coronavirus variants could also delay targets for the disease. collective immunity. Variant B.1.1.7, believed to originate from the UK, along with other strains from Brazil and South Africa, have been reported to be more contagious and in some cases more deadly.

“Variants are definitely a wildcard,” Huang said.

Other concerns

Adding to the problem is “huge inequalities” that leave communities vulnerable without as much access to vaccines, said Dr John Carlo, former medical director of the Dallas County Department of Health and CEO of Prism Health North Texas .

These groups mainly include communities of color. The COVID-19 death rate for Hispanics aged 25 to 64 in Texas has been more than four times that of non-Hispanic whites. Blacks in this age group in the state die from the virus at more than twice the rate of whites.

“We are behind in these high risk groups and in the different communities that are often left behind,” Carlo said, adding that reaching these groups and others hesitant to take the vaccine will continue to be “very difficult. great challenges ”.

However, he said, the clearance of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine “is a game-changer” with its ability to immunize people in one go.

“It just offers a great opportunity to really reach different communities, and I hope we are using it really effectively,” he said.

While it’s hard to predict issues, communities are learning from the past few months and adjusting to new developments that make the end-of-May goal more achievable, said Dr Catherine Troisi, infectious disease epidemiologist at UTHealth School. of Public Health.

“There are a lot of places where it can go wrong,” Troisi said. “But it’s still a good goal to have.”

In the meantime, Troisi said Texans should protect themselves and others by continuing to wear masks and staying away from places where public health guidelines are not followed. It could be more difficult after Abbott’s announcement this week that the state’s mask tenure will end on Wednesday and businesses will reopen completely.

“Personal responsibility continues these public health measures, both to protect yourself and to protect others,” Troisi said.

“We have to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Vaccine differences

People shouldn’t be picky about the vaccine they get, experts say.

“Get the vaccine you can,” Troisi said. “You probably don’t have a choice right now.”

The single-dose J&J vaccine has been shown to be 85% effective against the most severe cases of COVID-19 and 66%, including moderate cases. The two-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have each reported 95% efficacy.

However, the J&J vaccine was tested when COVID-19 mutations were prevalent, meaning it could better protect against the more contagious variants that are spreading around the world.

“Before a vaccine was produced, we said we would be happy to have one that would prevent half of all infections,” Troisi said. “We have three incredibly effective vaccines. You know, what a miracle.

The vaccines have never been compared in a one-on-one study and have been tested at different times and in different places, making the comparison of the three unfair, Carlo said.

“I think that’s absolutely all you can,” he said.

A waiting game

While late spring to summer seems like the time frame most health experts predict for widely available vaccines, it could come sooner for those who wish to travel a greater distance.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins had repeatedly encouraged eligible residents to register in as many places as possible, even outside of county boundaries.

“We are seeing a big disparity between Dallas and Tarrant County and many other areas of the state,” Jenkins said in a written statement this week. “You must continue to register with Dallas County and also register wherever you are willing to drive.”

In some counties more people are eligible than others. In Midland, for example, vaccine eligibility has expanded to “other essential workers,” including those working in the food service industry, construction, finance, media, energy, law, law, etc. information technology, transport, logistics and communications.

A two-dose vaccine in Midland would require two five-hour trips for North Texans wanting to make the trek – a road trip that may be worth it for those who don’t want to wait any longer.

Editor Allie Morris contributed to this report.