Texas to Open COVID-19 Vaccination to All Adults on March 29
Texas Department of State Health Services • March 24, 2021
All adults will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas beginning Monday, March 29. The Texas Department of State Health Services
expects vaccine supplies to increase next week, and providers in multiple parts of the state have made great strides in vaccinating people in the current priority groups. The state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel recommended opening vaccination to everyone who falls under the current Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorizations to protect as many Texans as possible.
“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 next week, DSHS will launch a website to allow people to register for a shot through some public health providers. The public will be able to 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.
Online registration will be the best option for most people. For those for whom that is not an option, DSHS will launch a toll-free number to provide assistance making an appointment with a participating provider or locating another provider that has vaccine available.
To date, Texas has administered more than 9.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, equating to more than 6 million people with at least one dose and more than 3 million fully vaccinated. Most vaccines are authorized for people 18 years old and older; the FDA has authorized the Pfizer vaccine for use in people 16 and older.
Mandatory Workshops Scheduled for Applicants
ETCOG announces that $3.1 million in grants from the Office of the Governor's (OOG) Public Safety Office have been awarded to East Texas jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations. These funds are aimed at enhancing public safety and supporting victims of crime. The program’s mission is to strengthen Texas communities by supporting initiatives that help victims recover and feel secure while also preventing crime through programs that: Prevent juvenile delinquency and support truancy prevention Provide services to victims of crime and address violence against women Support law enforcement and improve the criminal justice system Prevent child sex trafficking, bring justice to its perpetrators, and restore victims ETCOG's Public Safety Division assists jurisdictions in applying for these funds annually, and applications submitted for funding are ranked and scored by the ETCOG Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, which is comprised of local subject-matter experts from across the region. The following Victims of Crime Act, Justice Assistance, Violence Against Women Act, and Juvenile Assistance grants totaling $3,136,019.36 have been approved by the OOG for funding in East Texas: Victims of Crime Act Funds - $2,528,962.18 The Crime Victims Assistance Grant Program (VOCA) devotes resources to providing direct services to victims of crime to help them recover and navigate the justice system.
