Austin-Travis County To Get 12K More Coronavirus Vaccinations

AUSTIN, TX — After advocating for more vaccinations to treat the coronavirus, health district officials got word from state officials of an upcoming delivery of 12,000 vaccines scheduled to arrive next week, officials confirmed.

Austin Public Health officials confirmed the imminent delivery — its largest allocation of vaccinations to date — as confirmed by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Despite its size, the shipment represents vaccinations for less than 1 percent of the population, health officials noted.

The vaccinations will be administered to those meeting the state’s criteria for Phase 1A and 1B of vaccination, according to an Austin Public Health advisory. Phase 1A includes community healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities and Phase 1B includes residents 65 or older or residents with underlying health conditions that put them at increased risk for severe disease and death from COVID-19.

APH is expecting to receive the vaccine shipment next week and will begin administering vaccines to people in Phase 1A, specifically residents of long-term care facilities not enrolled in the federal pharmacy program, through a closed clinic. Austin Public Health also has been working since October with a coalition of partners to plan for vaccine dispensing in underserved areas, officials noted. To that end, Austin Public Health has strategically identified vaccine clinic locations that are both in the hardest hit communities and accommodate the requirements of a vaccine distribution, officials said.

That includes that the sites are indoors, have a large seating area to monitor individuals who have been given the vaccine, have ample parking, have connections to transit, and can be set up for dozens of stations to administer the vaccine, officials noted. To protect patient privacy, locations will only be available to those with scheduled appointments, according to the advisory.

“While this pilot allocation is the largest given to us to date, it is important to note that it is still not nearly enough to cover everyone who will want the vaccine in our community,” Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden said in a prepared statement. “There is an estimated 200,000 residents without traditional health insurance over the age of 16 that may need to be vaccinated by a safety net provider, like Austin Public Health. We have a long road ahead, but we are excited to take the first step toward vaccinating those most vulnerable to this pandemic.”

In the days ahead, officials said, Austin Public Health will be launching a COVID-19 vaccine registration system for area residents with a focus on vulnerable residents. Individuals who meet the state’s current criteria for vaccination may be able to receive the vaccine under this first allocation or through future allocations, officials said. The system will have the ability to contact individuals to encourage them to schedule an appointment if and when Austin Public Health is allocated additional vaccine, officials said.

A phone line will also be available for those without internet access, health district officials added. Health district officials noted it is important to remember that not everyone who fits the criteria will be able to get the vaccine through this first large allocation from the state. "If you can get a vaccine through your healthcare provider, a pharmacy, or another provider please help us save this limited allocation for our most vulnerable populations," officials wrote in their advisory.

Austin Public Health urged residents to be patient while continuing to practice preventative measures to protect themselves and others. “The situation in Austin-Travis County is still dire, and getting worse every day,” said Dr. Mark Escott, Interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority. “Hospitals are close to capacity, and healthcare staff are burdened and exhausted. Just because more vaccine is being delivered each week does not mean that individuals should slow preventative measures. It would be especially tragic to have more deaths and hospitalizations when we are so close to getting our vulnerable populations vaccinated. Everyone needs to do their part to slow the spread by staying home as much as possible, and, if they leave their home, wearing a mask, watching their distance, and washing their hands frequently.”

Austin Public Health is one of more than 350 groups distributing the vaccine in Austin-Travis County, officials said, adding the agency is not the distributor or allocator of the vaccine locally. Moreover, the amount of vaccine Austin Public Health receives each week is determined by the Texas State Department of State Health Services.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas, visit the state's COVID-19 Vaccine Information portal. For more information on coronavirus in Austin and Travis County, visit the city's COVID-19 Vaccines portal.