UT Austin receives some of Texas' first COVID-19 vaccines
AUSTIN, Texas - UT Health Austin, the clinical practice of Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, is among the first in Texas to receive the long-awaited first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines.
The vials arrived by ground and were immediately placed in subzero temperature storage, says UT Austin.
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UT Health Austin, the clinical practice of Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, is among the first in Texas to receive the long-awaited first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines. (UT Austin)
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“This has been a long haul for everyone, but especially for the health care providers who have been putting their own lives at risk in taking care of COVID-19 patients on the front lines,” said Amy Young, chief clinical officer of UT Health Austin and vice dean of professional practice at Dell Medical School.
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UT Austin says the 2,925 Pfizer vaccine vials received are the first of two doses earmarked to protect the university’s front-line health care workers, including faculty members, staffers, and students who are involved in clinical care delivery to patients in the Austin community.
Vaccine distribution will begin Tuesday and will continue for nine days. The second doses are expected in early January 2021.
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“Having the vaccine finally gives us hope for a future without COVID, and that really is an extraordinary step forward,” Young said.
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UT Austin says its protocols for equitable vaccine distribution align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance, which prioritizes health care personnel and other high-risk groups.