TERRELL, Texas — Terrell State Hospital will be the sole hospital in Kaufman county to receive the first round of COVID-19 vaccines when they become available later this month the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has announced.
DSHS says they have submitted the first week’s allocation of COVID-19 vaccine to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The first week’s allocation is 224,250 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be shipped to 109 hospitals in 34 counties as early as the week of Dec. 14, depending on when the vaccine is authorized for use in the United States.
"As expected, the initial vaccine supply is limited, and the first week’s allocation is based on information submitted by vaccine providers when they enrolled, including the number of health care workers who can be quickly vaccinated and vaccine storage capacity at each site. The minimum order for the Pfizer vaccine is 975 doses. More vaccine will be available for more providers in the following weeks, including vaccine from Moderna once it is authorized," DSHS says.
Terrell State Hospital will receive the minimum 975 doses according to the plan.
DSHS says the allocation strategy was recommended by the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel in line with its guiding principles and health care workers definition and approved by DSHS Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt, MD.
“The panel put a priority on health care workers to protect those caring for COVID-19 patTeients and preserve the health care system’s ability to function,” DSHS said in their statement.
DSHS says the COVID-19 vaccination will be voluntary and left up to the individual to decide if and when to receive the vaccine.
“The vaccine supply is projected to increase quickly over the following months, allowing vaccination efforts to expand to additional populations and the public. Recommendations on the various population groups receiving initial doses of vaccine could change after the vaccine is available, depending on each vaccine’s characteristics, vaccine supply, disease epidemiology, and local community factors,” DSHS said.
inForney.com confirmed today with a Terrell State Hospital spokesman that the hospital currently has approximately 883 employees and 241 patients.
Terrell State Hospital says it is not permitted to speak to the media about the particulars of the vaccine and referred us to DSHS for comment.
