Limited COVID vaccine supply coming
Texas is expecting 520,000 doses this week for 166 counties
Texas this week expects to receive more than half a million first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government, state health officials announced Friday.
The 520,425 doses will be shipped to 344 providers, including 82 hubs, in 166 counties across the state, according to the Department of State Health Services.
Officials attributed the boost in available vaccine to a 30 percent increase in Moderna doses being sent to the state and a “one-time return” of 126,750 doses of the Pfizer vaccine that the state had been required set aside for a program that overestimated the number of needed doses.
Doses that had been set aside, for a long-term care facilities program, will specifically go to providers located in counties that have been allocated “significantly” fewer vaccines than their share of the population, including in the suburban Houston area, health officials said.
“Texas continues to vaccinate health care workers, residents of long-term care facilities, people 65 and older and those with medical conditions that put them at greater risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19,” state health officials said in a statement. “Vaccine remains limited based on the capacity of the manufacturers to produce it, so it will take time for Texas to receive enough vaccine for all the people in the priority populations who want to be vaccinated.”
Additionally, the state plans to order 188,225 doses meant to serve as second doses for people who a few weeks ago received their first vaccine.
“DSHS is working with providers to make sure that they order the number of second doses they need at the appropriate time,” of
ficials said. “People should be able to return to the same provider to receive their second dose.”
As of Friday, providers across the state had administered about 2.2 million doses, according to DSHS. More than 1.75 million people had received at least one dose while more than 410,000 people were considered fully vaccinated.
The short stock of vaccine has tested patience across the Houston region as older individuals and those with conditions that expose them to greater risk have struggled to set appointments. Some of those who’ve already received one dose don’t know when or where they will be able to receive their second dose.
Meanwhile, health leaders throughout the area have been coping with logistical challenges, including ones presented by the lack of abundant vaccine, and pleading for patience.
“Please do not arrive to our #COVID19 vaccination sites without an appointment,” Harris County public health officials warned in tweet Friday night that included two alarm icons and “RUMOR CONTROL.”
“We can not provide vaccines to those who show up to the sites (without) registration in our system,” the tweet continued. “If you don’t have an appointment you will be turned away.”