Texas healthcare workers likely to get COVID-19 vaccine first under Gov. Abbott’s plan
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of State Health Services laid out their plan Monday to allocate COVID-19 vaccines to the state.
These “guiding principles” for the allocation process will “serve as a foundation for the state’s initial distribution for COVID-19 vaccines,” which are expected as early as next month.
The state will allocate vaccines based on the following criteria:
- Protecting healthcare workers who fill a critical role in caring for and preserving the lives of COVID-19 patients and maintaining the healthcare infrastructure for all who need it.
- Protecting frontline workers who are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of their work providing critical services and preserving the economy.
- Protecting vulnerable populations who are at greater risk of severe disease and death if they contract COVID-19.
- Mitigating health inequities due to factors such as demographics, poverty, insurance status and geography.
- Data-driven allocations using the best available scientific evidence and epidemiology at the time, allowing for flexibility for local conditions.
- Geographic diversity through a balanced approach that considers access in urban and rural communities and in affected ZIP codes.
- Transparency through sharing allocations with the public and seeking public feedback.
The state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel, which was created by DSHS to recommend vaccine allocation decisions, established the state’s criteria. They hope to identify groups that should be vaccinated first to provide the most protection to vulnerable populations and critical state resources, according to the release.
“These guiding principles established by the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel will ensure that the State of Texas swiftly distributes the COVID-19 vaccine to Texans who voluntarily choose to be immunized,” Abbott said in the release. “This foundation for the allocation process will help us mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, protect the most vulnerable Texans, and safeguard crucial state resources.”
Texas’ Commissioner of Health John Hellerstedt approved EVAP’s recommendation that healthcare workers are likely to be the first to receive the vaccine in the state.
This includes staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, emergency medical services and home healthcare workers. As part of its ongoing work, EVAP will make recommendations on how and when to roll out vaccines to other critical groups.
