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COVID-19 Vaccine Information from the Texas Department of State Health Services

Texas Department of State Health Services • January 20, 2021
What’s Next with the COVID‑19 Vaccine in Texas
“All providers that have received COVID-19 vaccine must immediately vaccinate healthcare workers, Texans over the age of 65, and people with medical conditions that put them at a greater risk of severe disease or death from COVID-19. No vaccine should be kept in reserve.”
– DSHS Commissioner John Hellerstedt, M.D.

Texas continues to receive doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, and is distributing statewide to hospitals, pharmacies, local health departments, freestanding ERs and other clinics.

Who can get the vaccine now?
Front-line healthcare workers and residents at long-term care facilities (called Phase 1A) plus people over 65 or with a chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID‑19 (called Phase 1B) are currently eligible to receive the COVID‑19 vaccine.

Phase 1B recipients include:
  • People 65 years of age and older
  • People 16 years of age and older with at least one chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19, such as but not limited to: 
    • Cancer
    • Chronic kidney disease
    • COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
    • Down Syndrome
    • Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
    • Solid organ transplantation
    • Obesity and severe obesity (body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher)
    • Pregnancy
    • Sickle cell disease
    • Type 2 diabetes mellitus
If I’m eligible for vaccine now, how do I get one?
If you are in Phase 1A or 1B, you have two options to get the vaccine: you can get vaccinated at a large vaccine hub or a local vaccine provider.

Beginning in January, Texas established large vaccination sites or hubs around the state. The goal of these hubs is to provide more people the vaccine and a simpler way to sign up for an appointment.

Please check the COVID‑19 Vaccination Hub Providers page to find a hub near you and learn how to register. Remember, vaccine supply is still limited in Texas, even though more arrives each week.

Please note:
  • Do not show up at a vaccine hub without first signing up or checking the provider’s instructions for scheduling.
  • Hub providers may already have long waiting lists or may be no longer accepting appointments for the week.
  • Each hub’s registration process is different, so look carefully at the hub’s registration site for details.
    • Depending on the provider, you may be placed on a waiting list and/or may be contacted (phone, email, or text) when vaccines become available.
Another option is to check with a vaccine provider near you. Local vaccine providers, like pharmacies, may have vaccine available. Use the Texas COVID‑19 Vaccine Availability map to find a provider near you with vaccine available. Check the provider’s website for how to best sign up for a vaccine.

Remember:
  • Do not show up at a hospital or clinic looking for vaccine.
  • Instead please check their website for information about vaccine availability and/or a wait list.
  • Call only if the website doesn’t answer your questions.
Thank you for your patience as Texas receives more vaccine every week.

After Phase 1, who gets the vaccine next and when?

Spring 2021 is the best estimate of when vaccine will be available for the general public, but that may change. It depends on vaccine production and how quickly other vaccines become available. The Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel (EVAP) is considering what criteria could be used for later stages of vaccine distribution.

A police officer is holding a microphone in his pocket.

Homeland Security, Criminal Justice Grant Funding Available for East Texas Public Safety Projects

By East Texas Council of Governments • December 19, 2024
State agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, universities or colleges, and federally recognized Native American tribes can soon apply for FY 2026 grant funds from the Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office , State Homeland Security Grant Program and Criminal Justice division. New and continuing applicants in ETCOG’s fourteen (14) county region are invited to attend FREE grant application workshops hosted by the ETCOG Public Safety division . Workshops for each grant category to be held virtually from December 18, 2024, through February 13, 2025. Grant funding will be available for the following programs: Homeland Security State Homeland Security Program – Regular Projects (SHSP-R) Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA) Criminal Justice General Victim Assistance Direct Services Program (VOCA) Violence Against Women Justice and Training Program (VAWA) Juvenile Justice & Truancy Prevention Grant Program (SF-JJTP) Criminal Justice Program (DJ-JAG) “The goal is to improve public safety, support victims of crime, and assist jurisdictions by filling gaps in the region via funding that promotes innovative solutions to regional problems,” said ETCOG’s Public Safety Director, Stephanie Heffner. “We help applicants understand what needs to go into their grant applications and what they have to track once they receive funding from the state so we can successfully bring public safety projects to East Texas.” Workshops for Homeland Security will be held on the following dates: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 1, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 8, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 10:00 AM Workshops for Criminal Justice will be held on the following dates: Monday, January 7, 2025 - 2:00 PM Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 10:00 AM Thursday, January 23, 2025 - 2:30 PM Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 2:00 PM Workshops are mandatory if you plan to apply for funding. To participate in a virtual workshop for Homeland Security, visit www.pineywoods911.com/homeland-security . To participate in a virtual workshop for Criminal Justice, visit www.pineywoods911.com/criminal-justice .
A woman in a police uniform is standing in a park.

$3.4M in Public Safety Grants Approved for East Texas Region

By ETCOG Public Safety • December 17, 2024
The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) announces $3.4 million in grants from the Governor's Public Safety Office awarded to East Texas jurisdictions and nonprofits.
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