At UH’s first on-campus mass vaccination event, an administrator prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. All Texas adults will soon be eligible for vaccination under new state guidelines. | Courtesy of UH
All adults in Texas will be eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine beginning next Monday, the state announced Tuesday morning, paving the way for many college students who didn’t qualify under older guidelines to get vaccinated.
Vaccine supplies are expected to increase within the next week, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a Tuesday statement, allowing the state to widen its eligibility requirements.
“We are closing in on 10 million doses administered in Texas, and we want to keep up the momentum as the vaccine supply increases,” said Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services.
“As eligibility opens up, we are asking providers to continue to prioritize people who are the most at risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death – such as older adults,” Garcia added.
About 9.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered in Texas, with about 11 percent of the state population fully vaccinated.
UH classes and activities, under the assumption that most of the campus community will be vaccinated or have access to a COVID-19 vaccine by fall, are set to return to pre-pandemic formats next semester.
The news comes as UH prepares to put on another mass vaccination clinic on campus, albeit before the new guidelines kick in. The University received 1,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine that will be distributed on Wednesday and Thursday.
UH had previously distributed more than 1,000 Moderna COVID-19 vaccines on campus to eligible UH students, faculty and staff in February.
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