El Paso health leaders prepare for phase 2 of vaccinations, including teachers & jail inmates

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso health officials have started anticipating the move to the next phase of Covid-19 vaccinations, making it available to more groups of people.  

During an El Paso City Council meeting Tuesday, Department of Public Health Director Angela Mora said she expects phase 2 distribution could start in late February or early March.

Phase two would be recommended to include the following groups, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control...

• Kindergarten through grade 12 school teachers, school staff and childcare workers.
• Workers who face a high-risk of exposure and are in essential industries.
• People of all ages with any underlying health conditions.
• People in homeless shelters, prisons, jails and detention centers.
• All older adults who were not included in phase 1.

However, a state panel of experts would have the final say on which people will be eligible under phase 2 in Texas; the state has the option to modify who qualifies.

"The way they prioritize the groups in Texas is based on the demographics of the state and also the needs," Mora told City Council. "They're also going to consider the individuals or the groups that are going to be under phase 2, but remember it all depends on how much vaccine is being produced."

Mora and other officials explained the health department had not yet opened additional vaccination sites in El Paso because the city has only received a limited supply of vaccines.

But officials said they plan to open more sites in the future once more doses become available and asked people to be patient for now.

About 100,000 El Pasoans are currently pre-registered to get the vaccine through the health department.