Texas deviates from the CDC’s recommendations about who should get the COVID-19 vaccine next.
The CDC suggests that teachers, first responders, and other essential workers should be next.
Texas says it will focus on people 65 and older, and those with a particular chronic medical condition in what’s known as Stage 1-B. The list of COVID-19 vaccine priorities can be found at the bottom of this article.
For the time being, the rollout in phase 1-A will continue. It includes health workers, people in long-term care facilities, ambulance workers, and home care workers.
Monday, workers with CVS and Walgreens launched the full rollout to begin vaccinating residents of long-term care facilities.
The pharmacy chains are working with the federal government to vaccinate an estimated seven million people in 70,000 long-term care facilities across the country.
The rollout is now underway in a dozen states.
This Monday, Dec. 28, the effort begins in more than 35 states, including Texas.
“It has been a long year and we hope this is a game changer for us to protect our residents and keep this virus out of our buildings,” said Chad Anderson, president of Comfort Care Management Co.
Anderson has four memory care facilities in North Texas. He says residents spent much of the year in isolation to avoid exposure to COVID-19.
“The social impact of someone just giving you a hug or rubbing your back or seeing a few people is so important,” Anderson said.
Anderson expects that about 60% of the workforce and 90% of the residents will receive the vaccine.
In Texas, CFS will send personnel to 2,000 long-term care facilities to vaccinate 275,000 people.
CVS teams will make three visits to each facility to ensure residents and staff receive the first admission and the critical booster three weeks later.
“Now we can get families back together, so it’s a great feeling to know we should do it instead of do it,” said John Fratamico, local district leader for CFS Health.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said on Monday that more than 70% of Texans who have died from COVID-19 are 65 or older.
Texas Phase 1B COVID-19 Vaccine Priorities
- People aged 65 and over
- People 16 years of age and older who have at least one chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk of serious illness from the virus that causes COVID-19, including, but not limited to:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Solid organ transplantation
- Obesity and severe overweight (body mass index of 30 kg / m2 or higher)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Diabetes mellitus type 2