More vaccine heading to area

The Texas Department of State Health Services has instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship first doses of COVID-19 vaccine to more than 949 providers in 158 Texas counties this week. The CDC will deliver 167,300 doses of the vaccine manufactured by Moderna and 37,050 doses of the Pfizer vaccine directly to Texas providers.

Locally, Vernon is slated to get 300 doses, as is Quanah. In Vernon Family Pharmacy, United Pharmacy, and DSHS are each expected to receive 100 doses. In Quanah, United is earmarked for 200 doses and the Hardeman County Clinic is slated for 100.

Texas has been allocated about 1.5 million first doses through the first four weeks of vaccine distribution, and vaccine will have reached providers in a total of 214 counties by the end of this week.

The first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were administered in Wilbarger County last week.

Previously, Hillcrest Pharmacy received 100 doses, Wilbarger General Hospital, received 200 doses of vaccine, and NTSH-Vernon received 1,300 doses.

As of Tuesday, January 5, Texas DSHS reports 1,399 confirmed and probable covid cases in Wilbarger County, with 17 active cases and 33 covid-related fatalities in the county.

Hardeman County has had 270 cases, with 12 active, and 8 fatalities. Foard County has had 70 cases with 1 active and 5 fatalities.

Mandatory mask orders remain in effect for all three counties.