DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — Texas’ high well being official, Dr. John Hellerstedt, despatched a message to well being care suppliers Tuesday labelled “pressing”.
It continued, “All suppliers which have acquired COVID-19 vaccine should instantly vaccinate healthcare staff, Texans over the age of 65, and folks with medical circumstances that put them at better danger… No vaccine needs to be stored in reserve.”
Concern is rising that a lot of the vaccine might be sitting unused.
The Texas Division of State Well being Providers (DSHS) web site reveals solely one-quarter of the doses acquired have been administered. And, but for a lot of who qualify, the vaccine hasn’t been straightforward to seek out.
“I’ve not been capable of finding anybody who truly has the vaccine,” mentioned Michael Calder, a resident in Allen, who mentioned he qualifies underneath the state’s standards.
The DSHS web site recommends anybody who qualifies for vaccination, a bunch which incorporates greater than eight million Texans, search for suppliers who’ve acquired the vaccine on an interactive map and name them.
Calder did simply that, phoning three areas close to his house. Two mentioned they’d run out of doses — the third informed him it was solely vaccinating staff.
“It’s extraordinarily necessary. I don’t wish to get sick,” he mentioned. “I don’t wish to be the final individual to get sick and die, whereas a vaccine is being distributed already.”
A number of pharmacists informed CBS 11 Information they have been being swamped with cellphone calls from individuals in search of the vaccine. Most had run out, after giving their doses to healthcare staff or long run care residents, the 2 teams given high precedence.
“I nonetheless needed to flip away healthcare staff as a result of we ran out…,” defined Beau Heskes, a pharmacist at SandsRx in Wylie.
Heskes says he’s nonetheless getting calls from healthcare staff eager to be vaccinated.
After studying the message from DSHS commissioner Hellerstedt, Heskes mentioned he’ll now additionally provide the shot to others who qualify, when he will get extra doses. “I don’t know after I’ll get extra,” he mentioned “The state will allocate us the vaccine when… when it’s applicable.”
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