TEMPLE, Texas — Baylor Scott and White in Temple already got the COVID-19 vaccine, but there is a long list of health care workers in the state's "Phase 1A" distribution cycle. Not everyone will get the vaccine from the same source or at the same time.
Bell County Health Immunization Program Manager Kathy Carlisle told 6 News long term care facilitates and nursing homes might be right under hospital staff in that list but many of those establishments are getting the vaccine from a state and federal partnership.
The COVID-19 Vaccination-Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program started taking applications earlier this year and will distribute vaccinations in partnership with CVS and Walgreens.
A December 11 press release from the Office of the Governor states, "The first vaccines included in this program will be provided to pharmacies the week of December 21, 2020, and the program will begin December 28, 2020."
It said long-term care facilities that have not enrolled in the pharmacy program may choose to enroll with the Texas Department of State Health Services' (DSHS) Immunization Program to receive vaccines.
Carlisle said local EMS workers that are eligible to get the vaccine in the first tier of Phase 1A released by DHSH will be getting it in partnership with Baylor Scott and White.
Health Care workers and first responders in the second tier of the list, which includes clinic staff, urgent care facilities and school nurses, will need to wait for the Bell County Health District to distribute vaccines. Carlisle said those won't arrive for up to four more weeks.
"We will be getting it in the next round which we think is five weeks from last week, " Carlisle said. "We will be giving it to the fire department, volunteer fire departments, EMS that are not emergency responders that are not paramedics. Also auxiliary health care providers."
Carlisle said school nurses would also be able to get a vaccination shot at the health district.
One reason for the delay would be availability, but the Bell County Health district also needs a special freezer to store the vaccine.
Carlisle said they do not have the "ultracold" freezer at this point because the technology is on backorder. Carlisle said they do have another option to store the vaccine for up to 15 days just in case, but dry ice is required.
"Because the vaccine is in itself a very fragile vaccine, and there are lots of logistic guidelines to giving it, that makes it harder than a normal vaccine that we can keep in a refrigerator," Carlisle said.
Texas Department of State Health Services told 6 News Tuesday there is another distribution phase in the works but don't have a timeline as of yet.
"Texas’ Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel is still discussing which populations will be included in Phase 1B and all subsequent phases," Press Officer Lara M. Anton stated in an email.
While school nurses were included in phase 1A, teachers were not on the list. DSHS could not say if teachers would be included in the next phase or not.
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