Texans 50 and older eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting March 15
AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Department of State Health Services has announced that Texans age 50 and older will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines beginning on March 15.
According to DSHS, more than 93 percent of COVID-19 deaths in the state have been in those 50 and older, with those between 50 and 64 accounting for 20 percent of all COVID-19 deaths.
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"We’ve seen a remarkable decrease in the number of hospitalizations and deaths since people 65 and older started becoming fully vaccinated in January," said Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services and chair of the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel. "Expanding to ages 50 to 64 will continue the state’s priorities of protecting those at the greatest risk of severe outcomes and preserving the state’s health care system."
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DSHS says that more than half of all Texas seniors have gotten at least one dose of vaccine, and 30 percent are now fully vaccinated. The number of COVID-19 positive patients in Texas hospitals has also fallen by two-thirds from its peak in mid-January. About 20 percent, or more than 1 million Texans between the ages of 50 and 64, have already been vaccinated.
More information on the new 1C priority group is available here.
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DSHS says that the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel will continue to meet and make recommendations about the further allocation and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, more than 7 million doses have been administered in Texas. About 4.7 million people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2.5 million are fully vaccinated.