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

With three approved COVID-19 vaccines and more distribution locations, North Texans wonder when it will be their turn to get an injection in the arm.

Until recently, only health professionals, Texans over 65 and those with certain underlying health conditions were eligible for the vaccine. Eligibility increased on Wednesday, when the state health department announced that Texas teachers, school officials and child caregivers now qualify.

But when can healthy people under the age of 65 who do not work in education or health expect to receive their vaccines – especially since Dallas County said it still cannot prioritize teachers because supplies and guidance are scarce?

As of Friday, more than 4 million Texans have received at least one dose of a vaccine and more than 2.2 million are fully vaccinated, according to the state health department. In Dallas County, 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 the United States hoped to have enough vaccines for every adult in the country by the end of May. Governor Greg Abbott suggested on Friday that Texas could open the eligibility of the COVID-19 vaccine to the general public in May.

“It will probably be more in early May, as opposed to the end of April, when everyone who wants an injection can have one,” Abbott said during a press conference in Tyler.

But whether the United States will be able to distribute them all in time for Memorial Day weekend is a different matter.

‘The end result is the supply’

In about a year, Dallas County has moved from its first confirmed cases to vaccinating more than 324,000 residents, a remarkable achievement in the eyes of Dr. Philip Huang, Dallas County’s director of health and human services.

“This is incredible,” said Huang. “It is an incredible scientific achievement. It’s tremendous. “

Still, Huang acknowledged, there is more work to be done and more arms that need an injection.

“Nothing was perfect,” said Huang. “Conclusion: we all want more vaccines, but that is a limitation.”

Although he was encouraged to hear Biden say the United States should have enough doses for each adult by the end of May, distributing them will be challenging, Huang said.

“We want everyone to get the vaccine,” said Huang, “the end result is supply.”

Huang said he was hopeful that more groups would become eligible in the coming weeks and months, and that in the summer the vaccine would be widely available to everyone. Huang noted that he had received no indication from the state health department as to who would be included in the next group or when that eligibility would begin.

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

The decision is guided by the state’s Panel of Vaccine Allocation Specialists, made up of legislators, state officials and public health specialists. Finally, State Department Commissioner of Health Services, John Hellerstedt, has the final say.

If the vaccine is widely available in the summer, Huang said, Dallas County could move closer to collective immunity in August.

The Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation anticipates an earlier target for herd immunity, estimating that the county may reach the limit in June. Achieving collective immunity, however, will largely depend on residents continuing to take appropriate precautions, such as wearing masks and distancing themselves socially, even after being vaccinated, Huang said.

And while there have been only four reported cases of the most contagious variant B.1.1.7 COVID-19 in Dallas County, Huang said that more cases of coronavirus variants could also delay collective immunity goals. Variant B.1.1.7, which is believed to have originated in the United Kingdom, along with other strains in Brazil and South Africa, has been reported to be more contagious and, in some cases, more deadly.

“The variants are certainly a wildcard,” said Huang.

Other concerns

Adding to the problem are the “huge inequities” that leave communities vulnerable without so much access to vaccines, said Dr. John Carlo, former medical director of the Dallas County health department and CEO of Prism Health North Texas .

These groups predominantly include communities of color. The COVID-19 death rate for Hispanics aged 25 to 64 in Texas has been more than four times that of non-Hispanic whites. Blacks in this age group in the state die from the virus at more than twice the rate of whites.

“We are lagging behind in high-risk groups and in different communities that are often left behind,” said Carlo, adding that reaching out to those groups and others who are hesitant to get the vaccine will remain “a big challenge”.

However, he said, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine authorization is “a game changer” with its ability to immunize people with an injection.

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

While it is difficult to predict problems, communities are learning from the past few months and adapting to new developments that make the end of May goal more achievable, said Dr. Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the UTHealth School of Public Health.

“There are many places where it can go wrong,” said Troisi. “But it is still a good goal to have.”

In the meantime, Troisi said that Texans must protect themselves and others by continuing to wear masks and moving away from places where public health guidelines are not followed. This may be more difficult after Abbott’s announcement this week that the state’s mask term will end on Wednesday and that companies will reopen completely.

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

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

Differences in vaccines

People should not be demanding about the vaccine they receive, experts say.

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

The one-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 vaccines Moderna and Pfizer reported 95% efficacy each.

However, the J&J vaccine was tested when the COVID-19 mutations were widespread, which means that it can better protect against the most contagious variants that spread across the globe.

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

Vaccines have never been compared in a face-to-face study and have been tested at different times and locations, which makes comparing the three unfair, said Carlo.

“I think it is absolutely possible to get everything you can,” he said.

A waiting game

Although late spring through summer seems to be the length of time that most health experts predict for widely available vaccines, it can arrive earlier for those who wish to travel a greater distance.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has repeatedly encouraged qualified residents to apply in as many places as possible, even outside the county’s borders.

“We are seeing a great disparity between Dallas and Tarrant County and many other areas of the state,” said Jenkins in a written statement this week. “You must continue to register with Dallas County and also anywhere you want to drive.”

In some counties, more people are eligible than others. In Midland, for example, vaccine eligibility has expanded to “other essential workers”, including those working in food, construction, finance, media, energy, law, information technology, transportation and logistics and communications services.

A two-dose vaccine in Midland would require two five-hour trips for North Texans willing to make the journey – a trip that may be worthwhile for those who don’t want to wait much longer.

The team writer, Allie Morris, contributed to this report.