Texas is expanding the vaccine’s eligibility to anyone 50 and older starting next week

HOUSTON – Texas health officials announced Wednesday that eligibility requirements for the coronavirus vaccine starting next week have expanded.

In a tweet, Department of State Health Services officials said anyone 50 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday as part of the state’s Phase 1C rollout.

Health officials said there are about 5 million Texans between the ages of 50 and 64, and more than a million of them have already been vaccinated.

This is in addition to those already eligible for the vaccine in stages 1A and 1B, including primary care workers, nursing home residents and staff, certain teachers and child carers, and anyone 16 and older with comorbidities.