Maverick County to Receive 500 Vaccines against COVID-19 in First Shipment
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
Eagle Pass, Texas Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes announced that Maverick County will receive a shipment of 500 vaccines against COVID-19 either this week or next week after meeting with representatives from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo, Maverick County Emergency Operation Center, Maverick County Hospital District, Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center, United Medical Centers, H.E.B., and other local leaders.
Mayor Sifuentes noted that the 500 vaccines are going to be from Moderna and they are to be distributed as follows: 300 to Maverick County Hospital District, 100 to United Medical Centers, and 100 to H.E.B. Pharmacy. Noticeably absent from the first COVID-19 vaccine shipment is Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center, the sole hospital in the border county.
Sifuentes added that health care and medical personnel, EMTs, paramedics, and nursing and living-assisted center residents and staff will receive first priority in getting vaccinated.
Sifuentes noted that nursing and assisted-living center residents and staff will get vaccinated by a national program with Walgreen’s and CVS pharmacies administering the vaccines to them.
Sifuentes added that the first shipment of 500 vaccines to Maverick County are much needed and welcomed to protect the first responders and most vulnerable in the community from being infected by the deadly coronavirus.
DSHS announced on Monday, December 21, 2020 that the second phase of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Texas will include people 65 or older with certain conditions and will likely begin in a few weeks after the vaccination of more health care workers and long-term residents of nursing and assisted-living center residents.
“The focus on people who are age 65 and older or who have comorbidities will protect the most vulnerable populations,” said Imelda Garcia, EVAP Chair and DSHS Associate Commissioner for Laboratory and Infectious Disease Services. “This approach ensures that Texans at the most severe risk from COVID-19 can be protected across races and ethnicities and regardless of where they work,” added Garcia.
Recent studies in Texas show that over 70 percent of Texas COVID-19 deaths are people 65 years or older. Evidence shows that adults of any age with certain medical conditions have an increased risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and death, according to DSHS.
In this second phase of Texas COVID-19 vaccine distribution, people prioritized to receive the vaccine will include people 65 or older and people 16 or older with at least one medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness, such as but not limited to cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, heart conditions such as heart failure, solid organ transplantation, obesity (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher), pregnancy, sickle cell disease, and type 2 diabetes.
DSHS’ Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel made these recommendations to limit the loss of life and help reduce the burden on the state’s hospitals.
