Texas To Get More Than 900K COVID-19 Vaccine 'First Doses' Next Week
AUSTIN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - More than 900,000 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be shipped to providers across Texas next week, the Texas Department of State Health Services said Friday, March 19.
DSHS said it is allocating 685,470 doses to at least 481 providers in 183 counties.
More than 230,000 additional first doses are expected to be available to pharmacy locations and federally-qualified health centers directly from the federal government.
Texas has now administered more than 8.8 million doses, an increase of 1.2 million in the last week.
More than 6 million people have received at least one dose and more than 3 million are fully vaccinated.
Among Texas seniors, 59% have received at least one dose and one in three are now fully vaccinated, DSHS said in a news release.
Nearly one in seven of all Texans at least 16 years old are now fully vaccinated.
People ages 50 to 64 became eligible for vaccination this week.
They are added to health care workers, long-term care residents, people 65 and older, people with chronic health care conditions that may increase their risk of severe COVID-19, and school and child care workers.
DSHS estimates that 12 to 14 million Texans are currently eligible to be vaccinated.
In addition to the first doses mentioned above, the state is ordering 674,580 doses intended as the second dose for people first vaccinated a few weeks ago.
DSHS automatically orders second doses to arrive at providers in the week they can begin to be administered, so they will be available when needed.
People should be able to return to the same provider to receive their second dose within six weeks of getting the first.
For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas, click here.
