Texas Allocated Nearly 600,000 First Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine for Next Week
News Release
Feb. 19, 2021
CDC continues shipping vaccine for the current week, delayed due to weather
Feb. 22: This release was updated to show 516,830 second doses for the week of Feb. 22 to match the Pfizer vaccine label update to six doses per vial.
As Texas thaws from this week’s winter storms, COVID-19 vaccine will again be distributed across the state in larger amounts. Texas providers have been allocated 591,920 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government for the week of Feb. 22. The Texas Department of State Health Services has instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship those doses to 563 providers in 230 counties across Texas, including 84,240 doses for large vaccine clinics in Harris, Dallas and Tarrant counties supported by the federal government.
The added first doses directed to the federal sites over the next three weeks will allow Texas to allocate additional doses to communities where vaccine supplies have been much more limited, leading to vaccine distribution to the largest number of counties of any week so far.
In addition to the first doses mentioned above, the state is ordering 516,830 doses intended as the second dose for people first vaccinated a few weeks ago. People who had second dose appointments delayed by winter weather should rest assured knowing that vaccine will be available, and their appointments will be rescheduled. Even if they receive the second dose outside of the recommended six-week time frame, they will get the full protection of the second dose and will not need an additional booster shot.
The federal vaccine tracking system shows more than 100,000 first doses and 300,000 second doses intended for delivery this week still awaiting shipment due to weather conditions around out-of-state warehouses and across the country. Those doses are expected to be delivered in the first half of next week, followed by the vaccine allocated for next week.
Texas providers have administered more than 4.3 million doses of vaccine. More than 3 million people have received at least one dose, and almost 1.3 million have been fully vaccinated.
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.
Per a recent label change, each vial of Pfizer vaccine now contains six doses leading to a minimum order of 1,170. People can find more information on the COVID-19 vaccine.
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(News Media Contact: pressofficer@dshs.texas.gov)