Texas To Receive About Half A Million Less Vaccine Doses Next Week Due To Manufacturing Issue
(CBSDFW.COM) - Next week, Texas will receive about half a million less doses of the COVID-19 vaccine than it did this week.
The decrease is due to a manufacturing issue with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which cut the state's shipment of that vaccine by about three-fourths of what it was last week.
Since that vaccine only requires one dose, health officials say it's critical to reaching underserved communities.
"Many people need the 'one and done,' so we're using 3,000 of that next week to try to get to our shut-in population of people who are on home healthcare," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. "It's hard to get to them so we get to them the one time."
The state expects smaller weekly allocations of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until a plant in Baltimore gets authorization for production.
"Looking ahead, I don't know yet what the true impact will be," said Imelda Garcia with the Texas Department of State Health Services. "We're going to have to be much more strategic and much more laser-focused in where the limited Johnson & Johnson goes in order to make sure that those that are most vulnerable and can't get to other vaccines easily have access to the limited Johnson & Johnson that we will have."
Despite the sharp drop in the amount of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 1.9 million doses are still headed to Texas next week.
All people ages 16 and up are now eligible, and it's becoming easier than ever to get the shot.
"There was a lot of pent-up demand, and those people have pretty much been served," Jenkins said. "Now we're dealing with people who have signed up very recently and are getting the vaccine."
Dallas County Health and Human Services has cleared its wait list for the shot.
"Just sign up and you'll get your vaccine either that day or the next day," said Jenkins.
Tarrant County Public Health has also cleared its wait list and says people who sign up can expect to be contacted within 48 hours with an appointment.