Texas to receive more than 400,000 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine for week of Feb. 15

The state of Texas will receive 407,650 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government for the week of Feb. 15. The Texas Department of State Health Services has instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship those doses to 302 providers in 158 counties across Texas. That includes 85 hub providers that will focus on broader community vaccination efforts including the hardest hit populations and areas in exchange for a steady supply of vaccine from week to week. An additional 217 providers will receive doses next week with a focus on those that serve older adults, such as health departments, pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, community and rural clinics, and some medical practices that specialize in care for older adults.

On top of the state allocation, the federal government has shipped 80,000 doses of vaccine to 376 pharmacy locations across the state as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Pharmacies participating in Texas include CVS, H-E-B, Walmart and a consortium of independent pharmacies. Details of both allocations are available on the DSHS vaccine allocations page.

DSHS encourages providers to make accommodations for people 75 and older, who remain at the highest risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. For example, providers could set aside a certain number of doses for older adults, serve them during special hours, help them move through vaccine clinics more quickly, or work with local partners to facilitate in-home vaccination. This does not change the groups eligible for vaccination.

In addition to the first doses mentioned above, the state is ordering 333,650 doses intended as the second dose for people first vaccinated a few weeks ago. DSHS is working with providers to make sure that they order the number of second doses they need at the appropriate time. People should be able to return to the same provider to receive their second dose within six weeks of getting the first.

Texas providers have administered more than 3.8 million doses of vaccine. Nearly 2.8 million people have received at least one dose, and over one million have been fully vaccinated. While 72 percent of Texans have been vaccinated in their home county, it is not a requirement, and vaccine has been administered to residents of all 254 counties.

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. 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. Currently, there is not enough vaccine to supply every provider with vaccine every week.

People can find more information on COVID-19 vaccine.

Helpful links:

• Weekly vaccine allocations, including the full list for the week of Feb. 15
• DSHS/TDEM map of vaccine providers
• Texas Vaccine Data

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(News Media Contact: pressofficer@dshs.texas.gov)