Texas Announces Its COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Plan

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) announced the guiding principles for Texas' COVID-19 vaccine allocation process, which will serve as a foundation for the state's initial distribution for COVID-19 vaccines expected as early as December 2020.

These principles, published on November 23, 2020, have been established by the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel, created by DSHS to make recommendations on vaccine allocation decisions, including identifying groups that should be vaccinated first to provide the most protection to vulnerable populations and critical state resources.

Governor Abbott stated in a press release, "This foundation for the allocation process will help us mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, protect the most vulnerable Texans, and safeguard crucial state resources."

Additionally, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) held an out-of-schedule, emergency meeting on November 23rd, to discuss various issues related to experimental COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The ACIP’s vaccine allocation presentations focused on healthcare personnel, seniors, and those people at high-risk based on their health condition. And a specific focus was on ‘equity-based’ allocations and administration concerns.