County Judge Urges Gov. To Include Local Health Departments In COVID Vaccine Distribution

Staff Reports

On January 4, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott expressing concerns about the distribution of vaccines throughout the state.

Becerra expressed his concerns about Local Public Health departments not being highlighted as priority providers consistently throughout Texas.

“As the County Judge and representative of local government, we have a record of working very well with state assets and resources provided by [the governor’s] office and Chief Nim Kidd – TDEM,” Becerra said. “Our collaboration has allowed Hays County to provide service and response for the best public good. Local government can cut through traditional barriers to public health and efficiently deliver services.”

In his letter, Becerra continued to note that the local health department could help ensure that the most vulnerable populations and needs are met.

Becerra requested the Governor provide vaccines to local public health departments so that they may continue their aggressive response to COVID-19.

The Texas Department of State Health Services Monday instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship first doses of COVID-19 vaccine to more than 949 providers in 158 Texas counties over the next week.

The CDC will deliver 167,300 doses of the vaccine manufactured by Moderna and 37,050 doses of the Pfizer vaccine directly to Texas providers.

An additional 121,875 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will go to the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program. Vaccinations under the program started in Texas last week and, according to the CDC, will serve staff and residents at 770 long-term-care facilities in the next week.

The CDC will also deliver 224,250 second doses to the providers who received vaccine the week of Dec. 14 to complete the series for the people that were vaccinated in the first week of vaccine distribution.

According to the City of San Marcos, qualifying tier 1B city employees began to receive the vaccine at clinics in San Marcos and Buda.

Among those to recently receive the first dose of the vaccination were Director of Public Safety Chase Stapp and Fire Chief Les Stephens.

Texas has been allocated about 1.5 million first doses through the first four weeks of vaccine distribution, and vaccine will have reached providers in a total of 214 counties by the end of the week. DSHS has posted a vaccine provider location map that will be updated frequently.