1 million vaccine doses headed to Texas as state prepares to expand eligibility
EL PASO, Texas -- Starting Monday, anyone 16 years and older will be able to register for the Covid-19 vaccine in the state of Texas.
Coinciding with this, the Lone Star State is set to receive about 1 million doses of the vaccine this week.
El Paso, specifically, can expect just under 18,000 doses, according to the state's Health and Human Services department.
Close to 6,000 Moderna doses will go to the city, while 5,850 Pfizer doses will go to the county, according to the state's spreadsheet. The remaining vaccines will be sent to private providers.
Even though everyone age 16 and older can register for the vaccine, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego told ABC-7 the priority will still be for seniors or those with an underlying health condition. However, he wants to urge everyone to still make the most of the opportunity to register.
"We apologize if there's a delay,” Samaniego said. “But the sooner you sign up, the sooner you're going to get it and the sooner we're going to have that heard immunity.”
There are more than 300,000 currently registered for their vaccine in El Paso, but the judge said they’re learning some of these people have registered twice or already received the vaccine.
While there might be a wait to get the vaccine, the judge is happy with where El Paso is in the scheme of things.
“If you look at our numbers compared to other counties in Texas, we're way ahead,” Samaniego said. “If you compare us to any across the country, we're way ahead."
