Thanks to increased COVID-19 vaccine availability, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has begun filling orders for vaccine doses as they come in, rather than on a weekly basis, the agency recently announced.
“This is a big step in vaccine distribution,” said Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services. “The ability to ship vaccine to pharmacies, doctors’ offices, and other providers as they need it will go a long way to making sure it is available when and where Texans want to be vaccinated.”
DSHS either will fill the vaccine orders each day from the DSHS pharmacy or place orders with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency says.
This is just the latest of several changes in vaccine distribution spurred by the increased availability of COVID-19 vaccine doses.
DSHS recently changed policy by encouraging physicians and other health care professionals to vaccinate anyone who wants a COVID-19 shot, even if that means opening a new vial for that person without knowing whether all doses will be used. Also, physicians no longer need to use every dose in the week they receive it, but should store the dose under the conditions that will maximize its shelf life.
Likewise, DSHS has encouraged Texas physicians to prepare to vaccinate adolescents aged 12 to 15 now that the pediatric Pfizer vaccine has received an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.
As a result of the change to regular vaccine ordering, DSHS will no longer post weekly allocation tables. The state also will retire the weekly report on vaccine doses reported as wasted.
TMA’s Vaccines Defend What Matters program offers a variety of resources on COVID-19 vaccines. As always, check the TMA COVID-19 Resource Center regularly for up-to-date news and the latest TMA materials for your practice.
Last Updated On
May 11, 2021
Originally Published On
May 11, 2021