Texas deviates from the CDC recommendations on who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine next.
The CDC suggests that teachers, lifeguards and other essential workers should be as follows.
Texas says it will focus on people 65 and older and those with certain chronic illnesses in what is known as Phase 1-B. The list of COVID-19 vaccine priorities is at the end of this article.
For now, the launch of phase 1-A continues. It includes health workers, people in long-term care centers, EMS workers, and home health workers.
On Monday, workers with CVS and Walgreens launched the full launch to begin inoculating residents in long-term care centers.
Pharmacy chains are partnering with federal governments to vaccinate approximately seven million people in 70,000 long-term care centers across the country.
Releases are already underway in a dozen states.
Next Monday, December 28, the effort begins in more than 35 states, including Texas.
“We’ve had a long year and we hope it’s a game changer for us to keep our residents safe and keep this virus out of our buildings,” said Comfort Care Management Co. President Chad Anderson
Anderson operates four memory care facilities in North Texas. He says residents have spent much of the year isolating to avoid exposure to COVID-19.
“It’s so important the social impact of having someone give you a hug or rub your back for a minute or see some people,” Anderson said.
Anderson expects approximately 60% of staff and 90% of residents to receive the vaccine.
In Texas, CVS will send staff to 2,000 long-term care centers to vaccinate 275,000 people.
CVS teams will conduct three visits to each facility ensuring that residents and staff receive the initial shot and critical reinforcement three weeks later.
“We can reunite families now, so it’s a great feeling to know as we move forward that we will do it instead of doing it,” said John Fratamico, CVS Health’s local district leader.
The Texas State Department of Health Services said Monday that more than 70% of Texans who have died of COVID-19 have been age 65 or older.
Texas Phase 1B COVID-19 Vaccine Priorities
- People 65 years or older
- People aged 16 and over with at least one chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for serious COVID-19 virus-related illnesses, such as:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary heart disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Transplantation of solid organs
- Obesity and severe obesity (body mass index of 30 kg / m2 or higher)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus