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Texas Governor Greg Abbott (right) said more than 1.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines are headed to Lone Star State this month.
Abbott said vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s initial allocation, are expected to start arriving the week of December 14, and additional allocations could be made later in the month.
The governor’s office statement did not specify which vaccine, or which vaccines, would be sent to Texas.
Once received, the vaccines will be distributed to qualified providers statewide who will administer these vaccines based on the vaccine distribution principles developed by the Expert Panel on State Vaccine Allocation and released this month. latest.
Texas will initially award COVID-19 vaccines based on the following criteria:
- Protect healthcare workers who play a vital role in caring for and preserving the lives of patients with COVID-19 and in maintaining the healthcare infrastructure for all who need it.
- Protect frontline workers who are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of their work by providing essential services and preserving the economy.
- Protect vulnerable populations who are at greater risk of serious illness and death if they contract COVID-19.
- Mitigate health inequalities due to factors such as demographics, poverty, insurance status and geography.
- Allocations based on data using the best scientific and epidemiological evidence available at the time, allowing flexibility for local conditions.
- Geographic diversity through a balanced approach that takes into account access in urban and rural communities and in relevant postal codes.
- Transparency through sharing allowances with the public and seeking public comment.
“The state of Texas is already ready for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine, and will quickly distribute these vaccines to Texans who voluntarily choose to be vaccinated,” Abbott said. “While waiting for the first shipment of these vaccines, we will work with communities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
Imelda Garcia is chair of the State Expert Panel on Vaccine Allocation and Associate Commissioner for Health Services at the State Department of Texas. She said it was her job to make sure the Texans were clear about their position.
“We want to make sure we’re as clear as possible so the public and everyone else knows where they would fit in and when it’s time for them to get the shot,” Garcia said.
The CDC says healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities should receive the first doses of the vaccine once their use is cleared. This guidance is a starting point, but Garcia said states have the flexibility to change the recommendations. Garcia says DSHS has decided to review its distribution phases.
“Healthcare workers were our Phase 1A population that we defined earlier. And we included the staff of long-term health facilities in this component, ”she said. “Now that ACIP recommends that we transfer residents to this group, we will have to revisit this decision and see if we want to change our definition of phase 1A as well.”
Garcia says the state may end up making changes now that long-term facility residents are recommended for the first phase. As for the phases that follow, it’s still an ongoing conversation.
“We are also continuing to work on our definition of the phase 1B eligible population which will come immediately after healthcare workers,” she said.
As for the number of vaccine vials to be expected in Texas, Garcia said that number is changing from day to day.
“The supply that manufacturers are making every day is increasing,” she said. “So every once in a while they’re going to give us a new number. And finally, our final number won’t come until the last day they say, “Here is your final allocation.” “
She said we may start to see the vaccines that we start seeing in Texas in mid-December will be given for free.
“The COVID19 vaccine is provided free of charge whether or not you are insured,” Garcia said. “No one should pay anything.”
An increase in vaccine allocations is expected in January and the following months, the governor’s office said in a statement.
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