Dallas Vaccine Hubs Prepare as Texas Opens up for Group 1C

DALLAS, TX – The Texas Department of State Health Services opened up Covid-19 vaccine eligibility to those over 50 years old on March 15. This group, categorized as IC, now joins healthcare workers, essential workers, people over 65, and people over 16 with medical conditions to the growing list of people who qualify for life-saving vaccines.

Dallas County health officials report an increase of more than 200,000 people adding their name to the waitlist. Vaccine hubs at Fair Park are giving out over 1000 doses per hour.

Now that the North Texas vaccine supply is improving, Dallas County officials can safely expand the eligibility pool. Those over 50 are considered high-risk for hospitalization and death from a Covid-19 infection. Data shows they account for more than 93% of Texas Covid fatalities.

Texas Department of State Health Services reports 5 million 5 million Texans between the ages of 50 and 64 now qualify for vaccination. Approximately 1 million in this age group have already been vaccinated. Increasing the vaccination rate in those at the most risk will save lives and reduce the number of hospitalizations in the Dallas Forth Worth Metroplex. A DSHS press release reports that More than half of Texas seniors have had at least one vaccine dose, and 30 percent have completed the series. As a result, Texas hospitals have seen a two-thirds reduction in Covid hospitalizations from the mid-January peak.

Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner stated, “We’ve seen a remarkable decrease in the number of hospitalizations and deaths since people 65 and older started becoming fully vaccinated in January. Expanding to ages 50 to 64 will continue the state’s priorities of protecting those at the greatest risk of severe outcomes and preserving the state’s health care system.”