Lubbock hospitals set to receive thousands of COVID vaccine doses in first week of distribution

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Lubbock hospitals are expected to receive their first doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine as early as the week of Dec. 14, depending on how quickly the vaccine is authorized for use in the United States.

The Texas Department of State Health Services says University Medical Center will receive 1,950 doses, while Covenant Medical Center will receive 2,925 doses as part of the 224,250 doses that will be shipped out to 109 Texas hospitals across 34 counties in the first week.

The initial vaccine supply is limited, so the first week’s allocation is based on information submitted by vaccine providers when they enrolled, including the number of health care workers who can be quickly vaccinated and vaccine storage capacity at each site.

The state uses a weighted formula to determine how many doses each hospital will receive.

These vaccines must be refrigerated to remain effective, so the number of doses is limited by the refrigeration capacity at each hospital.

These first doses are intended for frontline workers and vulnerable populations.

More vaccine will be available for more providers in the following weeks, including vaccine from Moderna once it is authorized.

You can learn more about the Texas plan for vaccine distribution here: https://dshs.texas.gov/news/updates/Texas-Vaccine-Plan-10-16-2020-DRAFT-CDC-Submission.pdf

This plan is still pending approval from the Centers for Disease Control.

You can find a full list of hospitals receiving the vaccine in week one here: https://dshs.texas.gov/news/updates/COVIDVaccineAllocation-Week1.pdf

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