Texas to stop weekly COVID vaccine allocations to providers, citing supply exceeding demand

The Texas Department of State Health Services announced Thursday that it would no longer allocate COVID-19 vaccines to providers on a weekly basis, citing supply regularly exceeding demand. 

The DSHS said it would fill vaccine orders from providers as they come in and a DSHS pharmacy will ship vaccines and will  place orders with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a daily basis. 

“This is a big step in vaccine distribution,” said Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services. “The ability to ship vaccine to pharmacies, doctors’ offices, and other providers as they need it will go a long way to making sure it is available when and where Texans want to be vaccinated.”

The DSHS said providers no longer need to use every dose in the week they receive it with an ample supply of vaccine but should store it under the conditions that will maximize its shelf life. Additionally, the DSHS is encouraging providers to vaccinate anyone who wants to be vaccinated even if that means opening a new vial for that person without knowing whether all doses will be used. 

According to the DSHS, 11,292,655 Texans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, while 8,329,391 residents have been fully vaccinated. 

Meanwhile in Hays County, 97,530 county residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 69,781 residents are fully vaccinated. 

Additionally, 87.12% of residents who are 65 years or older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine, while 73.12% in the same age group are fully vaccinated, according to the DSHS. 

In San Marcos, 29,252 residents in the 78666 and 78667 zip codes have received one vaccine dose as of Monday, while 19,711 have been fully vaccinated. 

To make an appointment for a vaccine shot through Hays County, visit https://www.haysinformed.com. From there you can use the new online scheduler to find a time and location that works best for you. The DSHS has also created the Texas Public Health Vaccine Scheduler to sign up for a vaccine: https://getthevaccine.dshs.texas.gov/s/.

Upcoming clinics 

Multiple COVID-19 vaccine clinics are upcoming. A no appointment Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinic takes place Friday at San Marcos High School’s auditorium from 1-3:30 p.m. Those who attend must be able to come back in three weeks to receive a second dose. 

An after-hours clinic will take place Thursday, May 13 at Dunbar Recreation Center, 801 Martin Luther King Dr., in San Marcos. The clinic takes place from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. The after-hours clinics will be offering first doses of the Moderna vaccine. Those who receive a vaccine at the after-hour clinics must be able to return in four weeks for the second dose.