Biden, Abbott, says there will be enough vaccines by May. When can you expect one in Dallas County?

With three approved COVID-19 vaccines and more distribution sites, North Texans are wondering when it’s their turn to get a stab in the arm.

Until recently, only health workers, Texans over the age of 65 and those with certain underlying health conditions, were eligible for the vaccine. The suitability expanded on Wednesday when the state health department announced that Texas teachers, school employees and child care workers now qualify.

But when can healthy people under 65 who do not work in education or health care expect to get their shots – especially since Dallas County said teachers can not prioritize yet because there is a shortage of supplies and guidance?

According to the Department of Health, more than 4 million Texans have received at least one dose of vaccine since Friday, and more than 2.2 million have been vaccinated. In the county of Dallas, more than 324,000 received at least one dose and more than 185,000 were fully vaccinated, according to state data.

President Joe Biden announced this week that by the end of May, the US will have enough vaccines for every adult in the country. Gov. Greg Abbott proposed Friday that Texas qualify for the general public to vaccinate COVID-19 in May.

“It will probably be more like early May, as opposed to the end of April, when everyone who wants a chance will be able to get one,” Abbott told a news conference in Tyler.

But whether the U.S. will be able to distribute it in time for Memorial Day weekend is another question.

‘The conclusion is supply’

In about a year, Dallas County has transitioned from its first confirmed cases to the vaccination of more than 324,000 residents, which is a remarkable achievement in the eyes of dr. Philip Huang, director of health and human services in Dallas.

“It’s quite wonderful,” Huang said. ‘It’s an incredible scientific achievement. This is great. ”

Still, Huang admitted, there is more work to do and more arms that need shots.

“Nothing was perfect,” Huang said. “In short, we all want more vaccines, but that’s a limitation.”

Although he was encouraged to hear Biden say the U.S. should have enough doses for each adult by the end of May, its distribution will be a challenge, Huang said.

“We want everyone to get the vaccine,” Huang said. “The core is supply.”

Huang said he was hopeful that more groups could be eligible in the coming weeks and months, and that the vaccine would be widely available to everyone by the summer. Huang noted that he did not give any indication from the state health department who would be included in the next group or when the fitness would begin.

Abbott hinted Friday that Texas will soon nominate the next priority group for vaccinations. It is not yet clear who will be included.

The decision is led by the 17-member panel of expert vaccines for members made up of lawmakers, government officials and public health experts. Finally, John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the department of health services, made the final verdict.

If the vaccine is widely available by the summer, Huang said, Dallas County could approach the herd’s immunity by August.

The Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation provides an earlier target for herd immunity and estimates that the country could reach the threshold by June. Achieving herd immunity, however, will largely depend on residents taking the right precautions, such as wearing masks and taking social distances, even after being vaccinated, Huang said.

And while there have been only four cases of the more contagious B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant in Dallas County, Huang said more cases of coronavirus variants could also delay herd immunity targets. The B.1.1.7 variant, which apparently originated in the United Kingdom, together with other tribes from Brazil and South Africa, is allegedly more contagious and in some cases more deadly.

“The variant is definitely a wild card,” Huang said.

Other concerns

A large inequality leads to issue that leaves vulnerable communities without so much access to vaccines, said dr. John Carlo, former medical director of the Dallas Department of Health and CEO of Prism Health, North Texas, said.

These groups contain mainly color communities. The death rate COVID-19 for Spanish ages 25 to 64 in Texas was more than four times that of non-Hispanic whites. Black people in that age group in the state die from the virus at more than twice the percentage of whites.

“We are lagging behind in the higher risk groups and different communities that are often left behind,” Carlo said, adding that it will still be ‘very big challenges’ to hesitate the groups and others to achieve the vaccination.

However, he said the authorization of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a game changer with the ability to immunize people with one shot.

“It provides a tremendous opportunity to really reach different communities, and I hope we will use it really effectively,” he said.

Although it is difficult to predict problems, communities of the past few months are learning and adapting to new developments that make the end of May goal achievable, said dr. Catherine Troisi, epidemiologist at Infectious Diseases at the UTHealth School of Public Health said.

“There are a lot of places where it can go wrong,” Troisi said. “But it’s still a good goal to have.”

Meanwhile, Troisi said Texans should protect themselves and others by continuing to wear masks and walking away from places where public health guidelines are not followed. It could be more difficult after Abbott’s announcement this week that the state’s mask mandate will end on Wednesday and that businesses will reopen completely.

“Personal responsibility is the continuation of public health measures, both to protect yourself and to protect others,” Troisi said.

“We have to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Vaccine differences

People should not be picky about what vaccine they receive, experts say.

“Get any vaccine you can,” Troisi said. “You probably have no choice now.”

The single-dose J&J vaccine was found to be 85% effective against the most severe cases of COVID-19 and 66% effective, including moderate cases. The two-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines each reported 95% efficacy.

However, the J&J vaccine was tested when COVID-19 mutations were widespread, meaning it could better protect against the more contagious variants spreading around the world.

“Before a vaccine was manufactured, we said we would be happy to have one that prevents half of all infections,” Troisi said. ‘We have three incredibly effective vaccines. You know, what a miracle. ‘

The vaccines were never compared in a head-to-head study and were tested at different times and in different locations, making the comparison of the three unfair, Carlo said.

“I think it gets absolutely everything you can,” he said.

A waiting game

While late spring through summer may seem like the time frame most health experts predict for vaccines that are widely available, those willing to drive a greater distance may arrive earlier.

Judge Clay Jenkins, County of Dallas, has repeatedly encouraged eligible residents to report to as many places as possible, even outside the county.

“We see a big difference between Dallas and Tarrant County and many other parts of the state,” Jenkins said in a written statement this week. “You must continue to register with Dallas County and also register wherever you want to drive.”

In some provinces, more people are eligible than others. In Midland, for example, vaccine admissions extended to ‘other essential workers’, including those working in food services, construction, finance, media, energy, law, information technology, transport and logistics and communications.

A two-dose vaccine in Midland requires two five-hour journeys for North Texans willing to undertake the trek – a journey that could be worthwhile for those who do not want to wait much longer.

Staff Writer Allie Morris contributed to this report.