Tarrant could receive COVID vaccine week of Dec. 14. Here’s how many doses it might get
Tarrant County could receive more than 18,500 doses of the coronavirus vaccine as soon as the week of Dec. 14, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
On Dec. 2, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that more than 1.4 million doses of the vaccine have been allotted to the state by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the month of December. Assuming it’s authorized for use in the United States, Texas is expecting a first week’s allocation of 224,250 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be shipped to 109 hospitals in 34 counties, according to DSHS.
After that first week, more doses are expected each week for the foreseeable future, DSHS Spokesperson Chris Van Deusen said in an email.
Asked who would be receiving the vaccines, Van Deusen said in an email: “I expect it will largely be hospitals vaccinating their staff at first, but there may be some that have partnerships with other providers to vaccine health care workers in their communities.”
According to the department, medical facilities in Tarrant County expected to receive the vaccine during the first week’s allotment are:
- Medical Center Of Arlington: 975 doses
- Texas Health Huguley Hospital- Fort Worth South: 975 doses
- Cook Children’s Medical Center: 4,875 doses
- Baylor Scott And White All Saints Medical Center- Fort Worth: 975 doses
- Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth: 5,850 doses
- Cook Children’s Occupational Health Services: 3,900 doses
- Baylor Scott & White Hospital - Grapevine Grapevine: 975 doses
“As expected, the initial vaccine supply is limited, and the first week’s allocation is based on information submitted by vaccine providers when they enrolled, including the number of health care workers who can be quickly vaccinated and vaccine storage capacity at each site,” a DSHS update reads. “The minimum order for the Pfizer vaccine is 975 doses. More vaccine will be available for more providers in the following weeks, including vaccine from Moderna once it is authorized.”
Van Deusen said there are 4,654 vaccine providers in 231 counties enrolled directly with the state for vaccine distribution, including 226 in Tarrant County. That does not include national chain pharmacies enrolled with the federal government, he said.
A plan from Abbott’s office states vaccines will be allocated based on protecting health care workers, front line workers and vulnerable populations.
