All Texans 16 and Over Will Be Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccination Beginning March 29
The Texas Department of State Health Services announced Tuesday morning that all adults will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations at the end of March.
According to a press release from the Texas Department of State Health Services, all adults in the state of Texas will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas beginning Monday, March 29.
We reached out to DSHS Press Officer Lara M. Anton, who confirmed that "adult" includes all Texans 16+.
"Please note that only the Pfizer vaccine’s EUA allows it to be administered to people between 16 and 18," Anton added.
Also happening next week, the DSHS will launch a website to allow Texans to register for a vaccine appointment 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.
“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.”
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.
LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions
While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.