Texans 50 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 15, health officials announced Wednesday.
“Expansion to the age of 50 to 64 will continue with the state’s priorities to protect those most at risk of serious consequences and to preserve the state’s health care system,” said Imelda Garcia, Associate Commissioner of the Department of State Health Services for laboratory and infectious disease services and chair of the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel.
People 50 and older are responsible for more than 93% of coronavirus fatalities in Texas, the DSHS said, while people ages 50 to 64 are responsible for 20% of all fatalities.
Those in phase 1A are primary health workers or residents of long-term care facilities. Stage 1B includes those over the age of 65, or those over the age of 16 with a chronic medical condition that puts them at risk for serious illness. More details on the status of group stages can be found here.
On March 3, the availability of vaccines was expanded to include teachers, school staff and childcare workers.
The state says the launch of the 1C group will help further reduce hospitalizations and deaths “across all races, ethnicities and professions,” according to a press release.
The state has “seen a remarkable decline in hospitalizations and deaths since people 65 and older were fully vaccinated in January,” Garcia said.
More than half of all seniors in Texas have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 30% are now fully vaccinated. The number of COVID-19 positive patients in Texas hospitals is down two-thirds from its peak in mid-January.
There are about 5 million Texans between the ages of 50 and 64; more than 1 million of them have already been vaccinated.
In total, more than 7 million doses have been administered in Texas. About 4.7 million people have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 2.5 million have been fully vaccinated.
Would you like to get on a vaccine waiting list?
As the state begins distributing COVID-19 vaccines for those in Phase 1A and 1B, the county’s health departments have begun waiting lists for those seeking to be vaccinated.
You can now register to receive the vaccination in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties. Links are below:
Waiting list links: Collin – Search waiting list | Dallas | Denton | Tarrant
You don’t have to be a county resident to register in that county for a COVID-19 vaccine – registration is open to anyone in Texas. For those without Internet access, Tarrant County also takes phone registrations at 817-248-6299. In Dallas County, call the DCHHS vaccine hotline at 1-855-IMMUNE9 (1-855-466-8639). In Denton County, call 940-349-2585.
Distribution of Texas COVID-19 Vaccine
Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows where COVID-19 vaccines were shipped through the state. Click on a marker for information about each location. Use the “plus” and “minus” signs below to zoom in and out on the map.