Texas opens Covid vaccine eligibility to people 50 and older as it lifts mask mandate, opens busines

[dalton99a]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/10/texas-opens-covid-vaccine-eligibility-to-people-50-and-older-as-it-lifts-mask-mandate.html

Texas opens Covid vaccine eligibility to people 50 and older as it lifts mask mandate, opens businesses
Published Wed, Mar 10 2021 5:31 PM EST
Noah Higgins-Dunn @higginsdunn

Texas will allow residents ages 50 and over to receive Covid-19 vaccines beginning March 15, becoming the most populated U.S. state to expand eligibility to the age group so far, the state’s department of health announced on Wednesday.

So far, Texas has allowed front-line health-care workers, people with underlying health conditions and those 65 and older to receive a shot. The state announced last week that it would immediately include school and child-care workers to its vaccine eligibility list as well.

By expanding eligibility to people over 50, the state aims to protect people most at risk for severe disease from the virus, the department said in a statement. The move will add 5 million more Texans to the state’s priority list, though more than 1 million of them have already been vaccinated.

“Expanding to ages 50 to 64 will continue the state’s priorities of protecting those at the greatest risk of severe outcomes and preserving the state’s health care system,” Imelda Garcia, Department of State Health Services associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services, said in a statement.

[msongs]

1. still 70+ in Hawaii but Ive seen ppl half that age and they were not high priority nt

[catrose]

2. Being eligible is not the same as scoring an appointment

[bamagal62]

3. This is good news.

But, we’ve hardly moved with eligibility here in Chicago. Why is that?