TEXAS — At the beginning of the year, Texans were signing up to line up for the COVID-19 vaccine. Now, local health officials say they’re seeing the opposite.
“We’ve done a lot of vaccinating. We’re starting to head into those populations that are not sure if they want to get it,” said Bell County Health District Director Dr. Amanda Robison-Chadwell.
“Back in December and January, there was a waitlist. It took weeks to get an appointment. We no longer have a waitlist now,” said Waco-McLennan Health District Communications Lead Kelly Craine.
Officials say as the demand drops, they're actually getting more supply.
“You still don’t want to hoarder a ton of vaccine because the last thing you want to have too much on hand, that you risk letting it expire,” said Robison-Chadwell.
“The vaccine clinics are actually putting out messages saying that we have extra doses. We have no waiting, please come on,” said Texas A&M University-Central Texas Department of Nursing Director & Chair Amy Mersiovsky.
Health experts believe the dip is due to a few factors: statewide restrictions being lifted, a fall in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, a lack of testing and other factors.
“Rather guarantee that we’re gonna be seeing a shipment every week, we’re making a decision,” said Robison-Chadwell.
Around a third of the 22 million eligible Texans are fully vaccinated. Last month, 8% of people missed their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines, more than double the amount from March.
