As holiday decorations go up and temperatures come down, we know that the Christmas season is upon us. Though the holidays might seem unusual without the ordinary hustle and bustle, we should find pleasure in carrying out our holiday preparations by remembering what Christmas really is — a celebration! In the coming weeks, I hope you and your family go the extra mile in celebrating the season. Whether putting up an extra wreath or Christmas tree, baking more cookies or treats than normal for the kiddos, or just cranking up the Christmas music a little louder, let’s go out of our way to make the days merry and bright in celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol. . .
Capitol Update
Governor Abbott recently announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made an initial allotment of over 1.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to the State of Texas for the month of December. These vaccines are scheduled to arrive in Texas the week of December 14th and will be distributed to qualifying providers across the state who will administer the immunizations based on plans developed by the state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel (EVAP), which was created by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to identify those who should be vaccinated first to provide the most protection to vulnerable populations and critical state resources.
EVAP has recommended, and DSHS Commissioner of Health John Hellerstedt has approved, health care workers likely to provide direct care for COVID-19 patients and other vulnerable residents to be the first group to receive the vaccine, followed by staff at hospitals and long-term care facilities, emergency medical services personnel and home health care workers. The State will then prioritize frontline workers providing critical services and preserving our economy, as well as vulnerable populations who are at greater risk of severe disease or death if they contract the virus. Importantly, the CDC has indicated that additional vaccine allotments may be made later this month for December and increased allotments are expected in January and the following months.
The announcement of vaccine availability in the very near future provides us with a renewed sense of optimism. While the light at the end of the tunnel continues to brighten, it’s imperative that we remain vigilant in our efforts to stop the spread by practicing healthy habits to protect others and expedite the process of finally getting back to normal.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact our office if we can help you in any way. Our District office may be reached at (936) 634-2762.
