SAN ANTONIO — State health officials Monday released a list of Texas hospitals that will be the first to receive coronavirus vaccine shipments once approved.
Eleven medical facilities in Bexar County are on the list. In total, more than 28,000 doses will be available across the county in the first week of distribution:
- San Antonio State Hospital: 975 doses
- North Central Baptist Hospital: 975 doses
- St. Lukes Baptist Hospital: 975 doses
- Christus Santa Rosa Medical Center: 3,900 doses
- Christus Santa Rosa Hospital - Westover Hills: 4,875 doses
- University Health System - Inpatient: 5,850 doses
- Methodist Hospital & Methodist Children's Hospital: 1,950 doses
- Methodist Metropolitan Hospital: 975 doses
- Northeast Baptist Hospital: 975 doses
- Wellness 360 (Adult): 5,850 doses
- Baptist Medical Center: 975 doses
The announcement comes amid a dramatic climb in coronavirus numbers at the local level and across the state. On Monday, Bexar County added more than 1,200 additional COVID-19 cases to their total, which rose to 88,196. In Texas, officials reported 8,891 more coronavirus cases; more than 1,387 million Texans have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In November, local health officials announced a "phased approach" to vaccine distribution.
Critical infrastructure and essential workers will be first in line to get the injection. Frontline healthcare workers comes next, along with those working in public safety like firefighters, teachers, and food and agriculture.
Then, people living in group settings such as multigenerational households, prisons, state hospitals, homeless centers and colleges will be eligible to get the shot. After that will be people at high-risk for severe illness or COVID-19 impact like nursing homes residents, the elderly and people affected disproportionally by race or ethnicity.
And then, finally, the vaccine will be available to people with limited access to vaccination services like those with disabilities or those without insurance.