Governor Greg Abbott announced that the Centers for Disease Control has made an initial allotment of more than 1.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to the State of Texas for the month of December. The vaccines, will be arriving in here the week of December 14th, will be distributed to qualifying providers across the state who will administer these immunizations based on the Vaccine Distribution Principles developed by the state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel.

“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,” said Governor Abbott. “As we await the first shipment of these vaccines, we will work with communities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

Texas will initially allocate COVID-19 vaccines based on the following criteria:

Protecting health care workers who fill a critical role in caring for and preserving the lives of COVID-19 patients and maintaining the health care infrastructure for all who need it.

Mitigating health inequities due to factors such as demographics, poverty, insurance status and geography.

Data-driven allocations using the best available scientific evidence and epidemiology at the time, allowing for flexibility for local conditions.

Protecting vulnerable populations who are at greater risk of severe disease and death if they contract COVID-19.

Geographic diversity through a balanced approach that considers access in urban and rural communities and in affected ZIP codes.

Protecting frontline workers who are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of their work providing critical services and preserving the economy.

Transparency through sharing allocations with the public and seeking public feedback.

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