Ron Votral receives a vaccine towards the coronavirus illness (COVID-19) at a drive-through vaccination website in Robstown, Texas, February 9, 2021.
Go Nakamura | Reuters
Texas will permit residents ages 50 and over to obtain Covid-19 vaccines starting March 15, turning into probably the most populated U.S. state to increase eligibility to the age group thus far, the state’s division of well being introduced on Wednesday.
Up to now, Texas has allowed front-line health-care staff, folks with underlying well being circumstances and people 65 and older to obtain a shot. The state introduced final week that it might instantly embrace faculty and child-care staff to its vaccine eligibility record as effectively.
By increasing eligibility to folks over 50, the state goals to guard folks most in danger for extreme illness from the virus, the division mentioned in an announcement. The transfer will add 5 million extra Texans to the state’s precedence record, although greater than 1 million of them have already been vaccinated.
“Increasing to ages 50 to 64 will proceed the state’s priorities of defending these on the biggest threat of extreme outcomes and preserving the state’s well being care system,” Imelda Garcia, Division of State Well being Providers affiliate commissioner for laboratory and infectious illness companies, mentioned in an announcement.
Greater than half of the state’s seniors have obtained at the very least one dose of vaccine and almost a 3rd are totally vaccinated, based on the DSHS.
Wednesday additionally marked the tip of the Lone Star State’s masks mandate, and companies at the moment are allowed to reopen at 100% capability, Gov. Greg Abbott introduced final week, pointing to the state’s improve in vaccine eligibility, decline in new instances and ample hospital capability as reasoning.
Alaska on Tuesday turned the primary state to open vaccine eligibility to all residents who’re 16 and older.