TYLER, Texas — The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT) is the first East Texas hospital to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
UTHSCT is one of 19 Texas facilities receiving the vaccine on Tuesday.
Others include:
- Texas Tech University Health Science Center Amarillo
- CHRITUS Spohn Health System Shoreline, Corpus Christi
- Parkland Hospital, Dallas
- UT Southwestern, Dallas
- Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Edinburg
- UT Health RGV Edinburg
- University Medical Center El Paso
- Texas Health Resources Medical Support, Fort Worth
- University of Texas Medical Branch Hospital, Galveston
- Texas Children's Hospital Main, Houston
- LBJ Hospital, Houston
- CHI St. Luke's Health, Houston
- Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center, Houston
- Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston
- Ben Taub General Hospital, Houston
- Convenant Medical Center, Lubbock
- Shannon Pharmacy, San Angelo
- Baylor Scott and White Medical Center, Temple
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler and CHRISTUS Good Shepherd in Longview will receive the vaccine later in the week.
Texas will receive more than 220,000 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in the first week of distribution, state health officials say.
Those doses will be shipping to 109 hospitals across 34 counties, according to the DSHS.
The vaccine plan from DSHS prioritizes hospital staff who work with patients, home health care workers, and staff and residents at long-term care facilities as the focus for early vaccination.
FIRST TIER OF VACCINE RECIPIENTS
- Hospital staff working directly with patients who are positive or at high risk for COVID-19 (includes: physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other support staff; additional clinical staff providing supporting laboratory, pharmacy, diagnostic and/or rehabilitation services)
- Long-term care staff working directly with vulnerable residents (includes: direct care providers at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and state supported living centers; physicians, nurses, personal care assistants, custodial, food service staff)
- EMS providers who engage in 911 emergency services like pre-hospital care and transport
- Home health care workers, including hospice care, who directly interface with vulnerable and high-risk patients
- Residents of long-term care facilities
SECOND TIER OF VACCINE RECIPIENTS
- Staff in outpatient care offices who interact with symptomatic patients (includes physicians, nurses, and other support staff; clinical staff providing diagnostic, laboratory, and/or rehabilitation services; non-911 transport for routine care
- Direct care staff in freestanding emergency medical care facilities and urgent care clinics
- Community pharmacy staff who may provide direct services to clients, including vaccination or testing for individuals who may have COVID-19.
- Public health and emergency response staff directly involved in administration of COVID testing and vaccinations.
- Last responders who provide mortuary or death services to decedents with COVID-19 (includes embalmers and funeral home workers who have direct contact with decedents; medical examiners and other medical certifiers who have direct contact with decedents)
- School nurses who provide health care to students and teachers
On Saturday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted Texas is expected to receive more doses in December than the number of residents who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus during the pandemic.
Earlier this month, Abbott said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has slated Texas to receive more than 1.4 million doses of vaccine by the end of the year.
The Pfizer vaccine was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and the CDC on Friday and Saturday, respectively, making the U.S. the fourth country to begin administering the shot.
Another vaccine by Moderna will be reviewed by an FDA advisory panel this week and could be allowed for public use soon afterward.
CBS19's David Lippman will have more on this historic day coming up on CBS19 News at 5.