Suitability for the Texas coronavirus vaccine is expanding to people 50 and older

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Texans 50 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 15, health officials announced Wednesday.

“Extension 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 sustain 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.

The move to expand eligibility to a new category of Texans – labeled 1C – means that the availability of vaccines is increasing statewide. However, appointments can still be difficult to find as the number of suitable recipients exceeds the vaccine offerings. Before Wednesday’s announcement, between 10 million and 13 million people – more than a third of Texas’s population – were already eligible, according to health officials.

Previously, doses of the vaccine were limited to primary care health professionals, long-term caregivers and staff, people aged 65 and over or at least 16 with a qualifying health condition. Last week, teachers and childcare workers were also eligible, after President Joe Biden’s administration ordered states to prioritize school staff.

To date, nearly 7 million doses of the vaccine have been administered across Texas and more than 4.5 million people have received at least one dose, according to state data. In total, about 8.5% of the Texas population is fully vaccinated.

In recent weeks, service representatives, including grocery and restaurant staff, have been calling for participation in the next round after spending nearly a year on the front lines of the pandemic.

The announcement comes on the same day that the statewide mask mandate ends, further fueling fears of the virus spreading among those in the industry. On Monday, service representatives gathered outside the Texas Capitol to protest the decision to lift security restrictions and demand access to the vaccine.

Federal recommendations suggest that all key workers not included in stages 1A and 1B be included in this next stage, although Texas has previously deviated from that advice.

Frequently asked questions about vaccines

  • Who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas?

    Currently, Texas offers vaccines to primary care health professionals, residents and staff of long-term care facilities, Texans 65 and older, and those of qualifying health status and a certain age, depending on the vaccine they have. to get. You can find a list of some of these conditions here. Starting March 15, Texans 50 and older are eligible for vaccines.

  • Where can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

    Consult your local health care provider or public health department. The vaccine will be available at more than 80 vaccination centers around the state and some pharmacies, clinics and hospitals. Most providers also require Texans to register for appointments to get the vaccine to minimize traffic flow. The state has a map of providers who offer the vaccine here.

  • I have called every provider in my area and I cannot find a vaccine. What gives?

    We have heard of many Texans who have had this experience. There are simply a lot more eligible Texans who want vaccine doses right now than there are doses available. It will take months for the vaccine to be widely available to everyone. Until then, it’s best to contact providers, wait until you qualify if you don’t already, and keep wearing a mask when out in public and practicing social distance.

  • Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe?

    Yes. While some Texans have expressed hesitation about the vaccine, health experts and government officials broadly agree that the vaccine is safe. Pfizer and Moderna reported that their vaccines are 95% and 94% effective, respectively, in protecting people from serious disease, and while no vaccine is without side effects, clinical studies for both Pfizer and Moderna show that serious reactions are rare.

  • Should I get the vaccine if I already had the virus?

    The short answer is yes. Health experts still don’t know how long natural immunity lasts after someone gets COVID-19, but some evidence suggests it doesn’t last very long.

  • More vaccine information

Texas is still a long way from herd immunity – the level at which a sufficient proportion of the population is immune to COVID-19 to stop its spread. Experts estimate that between 70% and 80% of Texans must be vaccinated to exceed that threshold. That equates to nearly 100% of the adults in the state.

The announcement of expanded vaccine entitlement comes on the same day that the statewide mask mandate ends. The mandate was first implemented by Governor Greg Abbott last July. On Monday, service representatives gathered outside the Texas Capitol to protest the decision to lift security restrictions and demand access to the vaccine.

Abbott hinted about the vaccine announcement at a press conference last week, when he announced that he would withdraw the mask mandate and run every business – including restaurants, bars, shops and sports stadiums – at 100 percent capacity. Abbott cited some important COVID-19 statistics, including a decline in new hospital admissions and statewide positivity rates, as evidence that Texas is “now in a much better position.”

In the nearly three months since Texas received the first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine, supply has steadily increased. There are now three approved vaccines in the US – Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, both of which require two doses, and Johnson & Johnson, which require one dose.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and national emergency response officials have also begun running mass vaccination sites targeting disadvantaged communities in Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. The locations are NRG Stadium in Houston, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and Fair Park in Dallas.

Concerns remain about equitable access to the vaccine. State Senator Borris Miles, D-Houston, on Wednesday expressed his frustration at the low vaccination coverage among colored communities on which the pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll.

“I feel like you broke my heart and broke your promise to me,” Miles told Garcia, chairman of the EVAP, at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

The increasing numbers of Texans vaccinated meant a return to some semblance of normalcy for some. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Monday that fully vaccinated people can safely visit with other vaccinated people and small groups of unvaccinated people. But the CDC warned that COVID-19 still poses a serious public health risk, urging everyone – including vaccinated people – to continue wearing masks and keep physical distance in public.

State health officials estimate the vaccine will be available to the general public later this spring. Biden said earlier this month that the US would have enough supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine for every adult by the end of May.

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