The Houston-area’s first batch of the coronavirus vaccine will include 59,475 doses of the inoculation, state health authorities announced Friday.
Earlier this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said that the state would receive its first allotment of the vaccine — approximately 1.4 million doses from the drug makers Pfizer and Moderna — beginning in mid-December, pending federal approval.
“As expected, the initial vaccine supply is limited, and the first week’s allocation is based on information submitted by vaccine providers when they enrolled, including the number of health care workers who can be quickly vaccinated and vaccine storage capacity at each site,” DSHS said in a news update on its website. “More vaccine will be available for more providers in the following weeks, including vaccine from Moderna once it is authorized.”
Larger allotments are expected in January and in the following months, Abbott said in a release.
“The State of Texas is already prepared for the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine, and will swiftly distribute these vaccines to Texans who voluntarily choose to be immunized,” Abbott said in a release. “As we await the first shipment of these vaccines, we will work with communities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
Approximately 224,000 doses are expected to arrive as early as Dec. 14, according to the Texas Department of State Health Service. Authorities will distribute the initial shipment to 109 hospitals in 34 counties throughout the state.
21 hospitals in Harris County, four in Montgomery County, one in Galveston County and one in Fort Bend County were selected to receive the vaccine.
In a statement, Texas Children’s Hospital said: At this time, Texas Children’s Hospital, like many other hospitals in the Texas Medical Center and across the nation, are diligently working through preparedness plans to administer the vaccine to our workforce once official news and guidance comes from federal, state and county authorities.
In a statement, St. Luke’s Health said they have facilities that have well-established protocols in place to receive, store, and administer vaccinations and is ready to partner with local and state health agencies to help safely distribute COVID-19 vaccines.
State health officials said hospital staff working directly with patients who have tested positive or are at high risk for COVID-19, emergency medical service providers who engage in 911 emergency services like pre-hospital care and transport, home health care workers, and residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are among the first tier of Texans eligible to receive the vaccine.
Mayor Sylvester Turner addressed the news of the vaccine and said he intends to take it whenever it’s made available to him.
“I intend to take the vaccine and I intend to get vaccinated in a very public way. I know there’s a lot of mistrust, distrust, and disinformation but let me tell you if you don’t take it then you’re putting yourself and your families at greater risk,” said Turner.
Here’s a list of the local hospitals set to receive the state’s first allocation of the vaccine.
Harris County (Total: 49,725 doses)
Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital: 1,950
Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital: 975
St Lukes Hospital At The Vintage: 975
TCH Main: 3,900
HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest: 1,950
Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus: 975
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center: 4,875
LBJ Hospital – Harris County Hospital District: 1,950
Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center: 5,850
Memorial Hermann Greater Heights: 1,950
Memorial Hermann SE Hospital: 1,950
Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center: 2,925
Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital: 975
Ben Taub General Hospital: 1,950
Houston Methodist West Hospital: 975
Houston Methodist Hospital: 5,850
CHI St Lukes Health: 5,850
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital: 975
Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital: 975
HCA Houston Healthcare Southeast: 975
University Of Texas Medical Branch – Clear Lake: 975
Montgomery County (Total: 4,875 doses)
Texas Children’s Hospital Woodlands: 975
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital: 975
Kingwood Medical Center: 975
Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital: 1,950
Fort Bend County (Total: 1,950 doses)
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital: 1,950
Galveston County (Total: 2,925 doses)
University Of Texas Medical Branch Hospital: 2,925
View the full list of Texas hospitals set to receive the state’s first allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine here.
Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.