Texas to stop weekly COVID vaccine allocations to providers, citing supply exceeding demand

The Texas Department of State Health Services announced Thursday that it would no longer allocate COVID-19 vaccines to providers on a weekly basis, citing supply regularly exceeding demand. 

The DSHS said it would fill vaccine orders from providers as they come in and a DSHS pharmacy will ship vaccines and will  place orders with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a daily basis. 

“This is a big step in vaccine distribution,” said Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services. “The ability to ship vaccine to pharmacies, doctors’ offices, and other providers as they need it will go a long way to making sure it is available when and where Texans want to be vaccinated.”