Older Texans, those with certain conditions get the COVID-19 vaccine in addition to it

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Texans who are 65 and older, and those who are at least 16 with certain chronic medical conditions will be next in line for the COVID-19 vaccine, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced Monday.

“The focus on people 65 and older or with co-morbidity will protect the most vulnerable populations,” said Imelda Garcia, chair of the State Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel and DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious diseases. “This approach ensures that Texans most at risk from COVID-19 can be protected across races and ethnicities, regardless of where they work.”

The vaccine, which arrived in Texas on Dec. 14, was so far only available to primary care health workers and residents of long-term care facilities. There are nearly 1.9 million Texans in that group, so it will likely be a few weeks for the state to move to the next stage, health officials said.

The state expects to receive 1.4 million doses of vaccine by the end of the month. Eligible facilities in the current stage include hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes, and Texas Department of Criminal Justices facilities.

A panel – made up of state legislatures, state and local health officials, medical experts and researchers – recommended those who were eligible for the next phase Thursday. Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS Commissioner, approved the recommendation on Monday.

More than 42,000 doses of the vaccine had been administered in Texas on Monday, state data show.

Qualifying conditions for the next stage of the vaccine include, but are not limited to:

  • Cancer
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
  • Solid organ transplantation
  • Obesity and severe obesity
  • Pregnancy
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Diabetes mellitus type 2

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