COVID-19 vaccine now available to all adults

All adults are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said vaccine supplies have increased, and providers in multiple parts of the state have made great strides in vaccinating people in the current priority groups.

“We are closing in on 10 million doses administered in Texas, and we want to keep up the momentum as the vaccine supply increases,” said Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services and the chair of the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel. “As eligibility opens up, we are asking providers to continue to prioritize people who are the most at risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death – such as older adults.”

DSHS has directed vaccine providers to prioritize people 80 years old or older when scheduling appointments and accommodate anyone in that age group who presents for vaccination, whether or not they have an appointment, by immediately moving them to the front of the line. That will ensure vaccination of anyone 80 or older with as small a burden on themselves as possible.

Also this week, DSHS launched a website to allow people to register for a shot through some public health providers. The public can enroll in the Texas Public Health Vaccine Scheduler to identify upcoming vaccine clinics hosted by DSHS or a participating local health department and be notified when new clinics and appointments become available. People can continue to find additional providers though the DSHS Vaccine Information page at dshs.texas.gov/covidvaccine.

To date, Texas has administered 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

"Hitting ten million vaccines is a major accomplishment in our state's continued fight against COVID-19," said Governor Abbott. "I want to thank all the healthcare workers and volunteers that made this milestone possible… As more vaccines become available and eligibility opens to all Texans, I urge Texans who wish to get the COVID-19 vaccine to sign up to help us keep our communities safe. Here in Texas, COVID-19 vaccines will always be strongly encouraged and always voluntary.”