Coronavirus vaccine providers across the state have begun to administer shots, but as Texans wait to get in line questions have arisen as to whether doses are going unused.
Meanwhile, people are left wondering how and when they'll be able to get the highly anticipated vaccine that many hope will help put an end to the pandemic that has spanned most of 2020.
Texas reported Wednesday that 678,925 doses have been received by providers, but only 205,463 people have received their first dose of the vaccine. In Tarrant County, 48,950 doses have been received and 10,908 administered, according to the state data.
"Our healthcare heroes are working tirelessly to get the vaccine to as many people as possible, as quickly as they can, in the very safest way," said Diana Brodeur, a John Peter Smith Hospital spokesperson.
The difference in the number of vaccines received in the state compared to those administered got the attention of state officials on Tuesday.
Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt called on providers to immediately begin vaccinating Texans over the age of 65 and people with certain medical conditions.
Gov. Greg Abbott turned to Twitter to suggest that vaccines are languishing on hospital shelves.
This isn't the case, says the Texas Hospital Association. A spokesperson said the number of doses administered are higher than what's indicated in the state's numbers.
"This is an extreme situation for hospitals while they also manage vaccine operations," spokesperson Carrie Williams said in a statement. "We're moving as quickly as possible to get shots in arms, with a focus on frontline workers at risk. As an industry, we are certainly not sitting on vaccine. Vaccine is not sitting on hospital shelves."
What's behind the lagging numbers?
Technical troubles could be at least partially to blame for the difference between the number of vaccines received and the number administered by providers. Williams and State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, described challenges with the state's immunization registry, ImmTrac2.
In a Wednesday evening thread on Twitter, Howard said Texans began calling providers after the state told them to give the vaccine to patients in its phase 1B group, which includes people over 65 and those who have certain medical conditions. But when some residents called, they learned there was no excess vaccine or the doses had already been committed to health care providers.
"Turns out the excess vaccines likely don't exist," Howard, a former critical care nurse, said. "Same tech difficulties that plagued state systems in reporting testing data were also at play in reporting vaccines administered; untold number had yet to populate ImmTrac giving false impression larger number remained."
DSHS spokesperson Lara Anton in an email said the department is aware of some issues providers have had with submitting information to the state and is working with them to resolve the problems. One example she gave is the system not accepting files with improper date formats.
Lags also exist in the reporting of numbers because providers have 24 hours to record the number of administered doses in the system. Anton said the department collects the data "at midnight the day before it is posted, so it lags a few days behind."
Additionally, Anton noted that some of the week two vaccine shipments were delayed and didn't arrive until early this week.
"The provider data submission issues, delayed shipments from last week that arrived this week, and the data lag that is part of the reporting process have all contributed to the dashboard not showing all of the doses administered statewide but it doesn't explain the entire difference between the doses received and administered," Anton said when asked whether doses are going unused.
Anton said the state's goal is to swiftly vaccinate priority populations and reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
"We want everyone to know that more vaccine is coming each week and we want to use all of the vaccine in Texas each week," Anton said. "We've directed providers to vaccinate everyone they can in the priority groups so we can reach this goal."
JPS is making the vaccine available to those 65 and older, as well as those with medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe illness. This includes but is not limited to cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart conditions, type 2 diabetes, pregnancy and obesity.
Those wishing to be vaccinated at JPS Health Network locations and who qualify are being asked to sign up for an appointment through MyChart at https://jpsmychart.jpshealth.org/JPSMyChart/Authentication/Login. Vaccines are available at Southeast Medical Home, Northeast Medical Home and Stop Six Clinic. Walk-ins aren't available.
The hospital's 350 vaccine appointment slots for Wednesday, the first day of availability, quickly filled up. JPS has received 20,925 doses of the vaccine and, before Wednesday's appointments, had administered shots to 2,785 people, Brodeur said.
JPS is unable to give all of its vaccine out at once, she said. JPS has been able to offer roughly 250 vaccines each day before expanding to 350 Wednesday.
"JPS plans to continue expanding the number of vaccine appointments and locations as staffing will allow," Brodeur said. "Administering vaccines requires the oversight of trained staff and time for careful clinical observation. JPS offers these vaccines at the same time our staff is caring for hundreds of patients throughout the county."
Other area hospitals have reserved doses for health care workers. The state has placed front-line health care providers at the front of the line for the vaccine.
Stephen O'Brien, a spokesperson for Texas Health Resources — a hospital system with sites across North Texas — said the system has received and administered its initial allotment to 6,700 healthcare workers, allowing them to continue caring for patients. Those workers' second doses are expected next week.
Texas Health Resources has since received 9,200 additional shots and is continuing to vaccinate health care workers. Nearly half of the system's first tier of front-line workers have been vaccinated, a percentage that is expected to increase in the coming days and weeks, O'Brien said.
"The government continues to determine the process for how vaccines will be administered to the general public, and we will play whatever role we are asked to play in that effort," O'Brien said. "At this point, the vaccinations we've received — and those we expect to receive in the near future — are allocated for healthcare workers."
Baylor Scott and White Health is also continuing to vaccinate health care workers.
"In most cases, we are distributing the doses we receive within hours of securing the shipment," a statement from the hospital system reads. "Immediately after our healthcare workers are vaccinated, we will begin immunizing priority patients and community members."
The state is encouraging people who qualify for the vaccine to check with providers on their websites or by phone to see if any is available, as supply is still limited. Tarrant County also has set up an online portal at https://tcph.quickbase.com/db/bq3q4uet8 where people can register to receive the vaccine.
But an influx of calls to hospitals still working to vaccinate their front-line workers can create difficulty, Williams said.
"... Hospitals are being flooded with calls from the general public seeking vaccine, which creates further operational challenges," Williams said Wednesday. "And, there are still hospitals that have not received any vaccine for their frontlines."
The Texas Division of Emergency Management on Wednesday launched a platform that shows where vaccine doses are available in the state, referencing "varying reports of the actual number of vaccines administered."
"This simplified numbers only reporting system will help with that and will provide an added benefit to the public — transparency," spokesperson Seth Christensen said in a statement.
