TEXAS, USA — The Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been estimated to boost Texas's vaccine supply by half a million. As of Thursday, 13.3 million Texans had received their first dose. Thanks to a vaccine batch mix-up at a Baltimore plant, the supply available to Texas has been cut significantly.
Much of that Johnson & Johnson vaccine had gone to HEB or Walgreen's pharmacies, but the locations have seen much less in the last week.
The Texas Department of State Health Services discussed the shortage in a press conference Thursday.
"When we received our allocation from the federal government for next week, there was a significant reduction in the amount of Johnson & Johnson being allocated to the state. For us in Texas it is going to go from 500,000 doses to just around 130,000," DSHS Expert Vaccine Panel Chairwoman Imelda Garcia said.
Garcia told reporters the shortage would be continuing for at least a few weeks.
"We have heard from our federal partners that Johnson & Johnson will be delivering lower amounts of doses each week until the plant in Baltimore that manufactures ingredients is authorized by the FDA," Garcia said.
While the state vaccine allocations show smaller amounts of J&J vaccine at local pharmacies, numbers for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have stayed consistent. Those vaccines can still be found in local hospital systems and may be easier to get at this time, though some hospital systems are reporting a wait time of around two weeks (Contact information for hospital systems is below).
There is also an easier vaccine option for veterans. The SAVE LIVES Act has enabled the VA to hold walk-in vaccine clinics on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information can be found here.
An additional veteran vaccine clinic will be held Saturday, April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Medical Center at 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive, Temple.
Another clinic will be held at the Palestine VA Clinic at 2000 South Loop 256, Suite 124, Palestine, TX.
Local hospital system contact information:
Bell County
- AdventHealth Vaccine Website
- (877) 847-8747
- Shots will be given at the Hemmingway Building located at 2405 S Clear Creek Rd, Killeen, TX 76549.
Seton Harker Heights
- Seton Vaccine Website
- (254) 680-6202
- Shots will be available at 850 W Central Texas Expy, Harker Heights, TX 76548/
Baylor Scott and White
- Scott and White Website. Online applicants may need to download the MyBSWHealth app.
- 1 (844) 279-8222
- Shots will be available by appointment at Baylor Scott & White West Campus 5701 Airport Rd, Temple, TX 76502
McLennan County
Waco-Mclennan County Public Health District
- Waco-McLennan County Public Health District website
- (254) 750-1890
- Clinic locations are announced at the time doses are received.
Ascension Providence
- Ascension Providence website
- 1 (833) 604-1626
Coryell County
Coryell Health Medical Clinic
- Coryell Health Medical website
- (254) 248-6381
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