Austin Health Officials Plan For Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Public Health officials on Friday launched a so-called Vaccine Distribution Coalition in preparing for availability of a vaccine for the coronavirus one it's readily available.

The coalition comprises local health care and community partners with an aim to assist the health district in developing strategies for vaccination coverage, Austin Public Health officials wrote in an advisory. Coalitions within local jurisdictions were identified by the federal government as a best practice and are key to successful rapid vaccine distribution planning, officials added.

“Slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County has been a community effort since the beginning,” Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden said in a prepared statement. “Planning for the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine will once again require many stakeholders and a community effort to be successful. We still have a long road ahead of us, but the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Coalition marks the beginning of a new chapter in our response.”

Local officials have been guided by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publication titled the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook for Jurisdiction Operations, which includes information on vaccination program planning and implementation tactics, Austin Public Health officials said. COVID-19 vaccine supply is expected to be limited at the beginning of distribution, local officials noted, so the allocation of doses may need to be prioritized for critical populations such as critical infrastructure workers, people at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness, people at increased risk of acquiring or transmitting COVID-19, and people with limited access to routine vaccination services.

“As a community, we need to recognize that even when a vaccine becomes available, initially it will not be widely available for the general public,” Dr. Mark Escott, the interim Austin-Travis County health authority, said in a prepared statement. “We will need to prioritize our most vulnerable and ensure equitable distribution across our community.”

Austin Public Health officials said initial coalition meetings will focus on identifying these critical populations as well as strategizing for distribution channels, vaccine temperature storage and management along with community messaging and engagement efforts.

For COVID-19 information and updates, visit the COVID-19 Information page in the City of Austin website.

This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch