Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for the state Nov. 23 for a vaccine he said could be available as soon as December.
Under the plan, health care workers are slated to get the vaccine first, including staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, as well as people who work in emergency medical services and as home health care workers. Next in line are a second tier of health care workers that include staff in outpatient care offices, free-standing emergency rooms, urgent care centers and community care pharmacies as well as public health workers who conduct COVID-19 tests, embalmers, medical examiners and school nurses.
Other groups that will be prioritized include frontline workers and people who are at a greater risk of complications or death if they contract the virus, according to a Nov. 23 press release. The panel is continuing to work on a plan for longer-term distribution, but the release laid out several factors that will be taken into account, including how to make sure those living in poverty, rural populations and those without insurance are not overlooked.
Officials with the Texas Hospital Association, which represents 500 hospitals in the state, endorsed the plan and the prioritization of health care workers.
