Texas Reveals December Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution Plan

Tony Cantu
Updated ·2 min read

AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday announced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made an initial Texas allotment of more than 1.4 million doses of vaccines for the coronavirus for December distribution.

These vaccines, which should begin arriving in Texas the week of Dec. 14, will be distributed to qualifying providers across the state who will administer immunizations based on the Vaccine Distribution Principles developed by the state's Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel, the governor wrote in an advisory. Additional allotments may be made later this month for December, the governor noted, in addition to bolstered allotments slated for January and subsequent months.

In response to an inquiry from Patch, Texas Department of State Health Services spokesperson Chris Van Deusen said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control will send a needed second dosage to the same group in January.

Related story: Texas Health Care Workers Urged To Get Immunized Ahead Of Vaccine

"The State of Texas is already prepared for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine, and will swiftly distribute these vaccines to Texans who voluntarily choose to be immunized," Abbott said in a prepared statement. "As we await the first shipment of these vaccines, we will work with communities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19."

The governor in early October telegraphed the imminent arrival of vaccines when he urged Texas health care providers to enroll in the Texas Department of State Health Services' Immunization Program. Hospitals, medical practices, pharmacies, and long-term care facilities that want to participate are required to enroll as vaccine providers at EnrollTexasIZ.dshs.texas.gov to administer COVID-19 immunizations in Texas, the governor noted.

"While potential COVID-19 vaccines continue to undergo clinical trials, the State of Texas is taking a proactive approach to ensure the vaccine is distributed as quickly as possible once available," Abbott said at the time. "Providing Texans with access to a voluntary vaccine and efficiently administering the immunization will be essential to containing COVID-19 and protecting the health of our communities. I urge health care providers across the state to sign up for DSHS' Immunization Program so they are prepared to administer the COVID-vaccine to Texans who choose to be immunized."

While vaccine production ramps up, Abbott added, the supply will be limited and provided to critical populations such as health care workers or people at a higher risk of severe disease. As more doses become available, the governor said, more of the enrolled providers will begin to receive vaccine for the people they serve.

For more information on the DSHS Immunization Program, visit the Immunization Program Portal.

This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch