More
than 3 million people fully vaccinated
News Release
March 19, 2021
Over 900,000 first
doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be shipped to providers across Texas next week.
The Texas Department of State Health Services 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. Over 6
million people have received at least one dose and more than 3 million are
fully vaccinated. Among Texas seniors, 59 percent have received at least one
dose and one in three are now fully vaccinated. 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.
People can find more information on
COVID-19 vaccine at dshs.texas.gov/covidvaccine/.
Helpful links:
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(News Media Contact: pressofficer@dshs.texas.gov)