To HSC Students, Faculty and Staff
Team,
I am pleased to share HSC has received our first, albeit limited, supply of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. I know there have been many questions about who will receive the vaccine and when, so I want to share our distribution plan and the rationale for it.
HSC Health submitted an application to the State to administer the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as the application portal opened several weeks ago. As a clinical operation with 120,000+ annual patient encounters, we applied for approval as a heath care provider. Per the terms of our application, we are required to allocate the vaccine in the following order of priority:
- HSC Health clinical staff
- HSC campus employees who fall into the Phase 1A distribution category as defined by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
- HSC Health patients
We received an initial shipment of 300 vaccines and our distribution plan for next week is as follows (in compliance with DSHS):
- HSC Health providers and staff with direct patient care
90 - Facilities/custodial staff within HSC Health
10 - Campus Police
16 - Willed Body Program (Last Responders)
16 - Institute for Translational Research (with direct patient contact)
18 - HSC Health patients 75+ with at least one chronic condition
150
Total 300
If you are among the HSC team members identified to participate in the initial round of vaccinations, you will receive an email with a link to schedule an appointment with HSC Health. As a reminder, while it is highly recommended, you are not required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
We will be submitting a request for additional vaccines as soon as possible and will update you with more information as it becomes available. In the interim, if you are a Phase 1A or Phase 1B candidate, I encourage you to register for a vaccine at one of the following links: Texas Health and Human Services or Tarrant County Public Health.
I want to thank our HSC Health leaders for working tirelessly to secure our initial supply of the vaccine. The health, safety and well-being of all our team members and patients is our top-priority, and I assure you we will continue to pursue more vaccines and distribute them in a fair and equitable manner.
With appreciation,
Dr. Michael Williams