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Texans aged 50 and over will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from March 15, public health officials said on Wednesday.
“The extension to the age of 50 to 64 will maintain the state’s priorities of protecting those most at risk of serious consequences and preserving the state’s healthcare system,” said Imelda Garcia , Associate Commissioner of Laboratory Services and Infectious Diseases and Chairman of the State Department for Health Services. of the Expert Group on Vaccine Allocation.
People aged 50 and over account for more than 93% of coronavirus deaths in Texas, the DSHS said, while people aged 50 to 64 account for 20% of all deaths.
People in phase 1A are frontline healthcare workers or residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1B includes people over 65 or over 16 with chronic illness that puts them at risk for serious illness. More details on the status on group stages can be found here.
On March 3, vaccine availability was expanded to include teachers, school staff and educators.
The state says the launch of Group 1C will further help reduce hospitalizations and deaths “across all races, ethnicities and professions,” a press release said.
The state has seen “a remarkable decrease in the number of hospitalizations and deaths since people 65 and older began to be fully immunized in January,” Garcia said.
More than half of all seniors in Texas have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 30% are now fully immunized. The number of COVID-19 positive patients in Texas hospitals has fallen by two-thirds from its peak in mid-January.
There are approximately 5 million Texans between the ages of 50 and 64; more than a million of them are already vaccinated.
Overall, over 7 million doses have been administered in Texas. About 4.7 million people have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 2.5 million are fully vaccinated.
Do you want to register on a waiting list for vaccines?
As the state begins distributing COVID-19 vaccines for people in phase 1A and 1B, county health departments have started waiting lists for those who want to be vaccinated.
You can now register to receive the immunization in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties. The links are below:
Waitlist links: Collin – Research waiting list | Dallas | Denton | Tarrant
You don’t have to be a county resident to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in that county – registration is open to anyone in Texas. For those without internet access, Tarrant County also takes registrations by phone at 817-248-6299. In Dallas County, call the DCHHS Vaccine Helpline at 1-855-IMMUNE9 (1-855-466-8639). In Denton County, dial 940-349-2585.
Texas COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Data from the Texas State Department Health Services shows where the COVID-19 vaccines have been sent in the state. Click on a marker to get information about each location. Use the plus and minus signs below to zoom in or out on the map.
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