Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

What GAO Found

Operation Warp Speed (OWS)a partnership between the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Defense (DOD)aimed to help accelerate the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. GAO found that OWS and vaccine companies adopted several strategies to accelerate vaccine development and mitigate risk. For example, OWS selected vaccine candidates that use different mechanisms to stimulate an immune response (i.e., platform technologies; see figure). Vaccine companies also took steps, such as starting large-scale manufacturing during clinical trials and combining clinical trial phases or running them concurrently. Clinical trials gather data on safety and efficacy, with more participants in each successive phase (e.g., phase 3 has more participants than phase 2).

Vaccine Platform Technologies Supported by Operation Warp Speed, as of January 2021

As of January 30, 2021, five of the six OWS vaccine candidates have entered phase 3 clinical trials, two of whichModerna's and Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccineshave received an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For vaccines that received EUA, additional data on vaccine effectiveness will be generated from further follow-up of participants in clinical trials already underway before the EUA was issued.

Technology readiness. GAO's analysis of the OWS vaccine candidates' technology readiness levels (TRL)an indicator of technology maturity showed that COVID-19 vaccine development under OWS generally followed traditional practices, with some adaptations. FDA issued specific guidance that identified ways that vaccine development may be accelerated during the pandemic. Vaccine companies told GAO that the primary difference from a non-pandemic environment was the compressed timelines. To meet OWS timelines, some vaccine companies relied on data from other vaccines using the same platforms, where available, or conducted certain animal studies at the same time as clinical trials. However, as is done in a non-pandemic environment, all vaccine companies gathered initial safety and antibody response data with a small number of participants before proceeding into large-scale human studies (e.g., phase 3 clinical trials). The two EUAs issued in December 2020 were based on analyses of clinical trial participants and showed about 95 percent efficacy for each vaccine. These analyses included assessments of efficacy after individuals were given two doses of vaccine and after they were monitored for about 2 months for adverse events.

Manufacturing. As of January 2021, five of the six OWS vaccine companies had started commercial scale manufacturing. OWS officials reported that as of January 31, 2021, companies had released 63.7 million dosesabout 32 percent of the 200 million doses that, according to OWS, companies with EUAs have been contracted to provide by March 31, 2021. Vaccine companies face a number of challenges in scaling up manufacturing to produce hundreds of millions of doses under OWS's accelerated timelines. DOD and HHS are working with vaccine companies to help mitigate manufacturing challenges, including:

As of February 5, 2021, the U.S. had over 26 million cumulative reported cases of COVID-19 and about 449,020 reported deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The country also continues to experience serious economic repercussions, with the unemployment rate and number of unemployed in January 2021 at nearly twice their pre-pandemic levels in February 2020. In May 2020, OWS was launched and included a goal of producing 300 million doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines with initial doses available by January 2021. Although FDA has authorized two vaccines for emergency use, OWS has not yet met its production goal. Such vaccines are crucial to mitigate the public health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

GAO was asked to review OWS vaccine development efforts. This report examines: (1) the characteristics and status of the OWS vaccines, (2) how developmental processes have been adapted to meet OWS timelines, and (3) the challenges that companies have faced with scaling up manufacturing and the steps they are taking to address those challenges.

GAO administered a questionnaire based on HHS's medical countermeasures TRL criteria to the six OWS vaccine companies to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine development processes. GAO also collected and reviewed supporting documentation on vaccine development and conducted interviews with representatives from each of the companies on vaccine development and manufacturing.

For more information, contact Karen L. Howard and Candice N. Wright at (202) 512-6888 or howardk@gao.gov or wrightc@gao.gov.

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Operation Warp Speed: Accelerated COVID-19 Vaccine Development Status and Efforts to Address Manufacturing Challenges - Government Accountability...

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Hundreds of Austin-area veterans receive their first COVID-19 vaccine Saturday - KXAN.com

At first glance, it may seem that the race to acquire COVID-19 vaccines has been won by western nations. But alongside the UK, Canada, USA and EU, another country has also secured a high number of doses relative to its population Chile.

To date Chile has ordered close to 90 million vaccine doses enough to fully vaccinate its population of 19.2 million people twice. Its set to receive vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Johnson & Johnson as well as from the global vaccine-supply programme, Covax.

How has this small country managed to stand alongside the wealthiest nations in the world in securing enough vaccine doses to immunise its people? Economics has certainly been a factor, but not in the same way as for the others leading the vaccine race.

Chile is not a poor country. It has been one of Latin Americas fastest growing economies in recent decades. Its also a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a club of mostly rich countries that brings together nations with the highest levels of income and human development. Yet income inequality in Chile is higher than in any other OECD country and 65% higher than the OECD average.

Because of this, Chile has been immersed in a sociopolitical crisis since the end of 2019. Massive demonstrations and violent riots against inequality have seen the government face the most serious social unrest since the end of Pinochets dictatorship. As a consequence, president Sebastin Pieras approval rating is the lowest of any leader since the countrys return to democracy in 1990.

In June 2020, a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases prompted strong criticism of the governments ability to handle the pandemic, which only added to the presidents woes. In response, Piera seems to have understood that the only way of improving his popularity before his presidency ends later this year is by securing the highest number of vaccines possible.

This has meant going back on his previous efforts to paint the country as an example of stability and sound economic management. Instead, Piera has argued the opposite in order to get better deals with pharmaceutical companies.

Chiles status as a high-income country in the eyes of the World Bank has been a particular sticking point when negotiating orders with vaccine manufacturers, especially AstraZeneca. To avoid paying a high price, the government has had to demonstrate that due to the pandemic and the sociopolitical crisis, Chiles economic position is worse than that of the worlds most advanced economies, and so it deserves to pay less for vaccines. This recasting of Chile as a country facing economic hardship seems to have worked.

In an international order characterised by zero-sum calculations and self-interest, Piera and the Chilean government have been following the rules of the game to boost their own chances of survival.

But the Chilean government hasnt just been successful by pleading lack of funds. Its also acquired doses by building a highly diverse portfolio of vaccines, composed of different types at different stages of development, to hedge risks.

Although other governments have done this too, Chile adopted this strategy very early on. It moved quickly into negotiations with many pharmaceutical companies, including frontrunners such as AstraZeneca and Pfizer but also Johnson & Johnson, which was further behind in development. This was helped by the Chilean economys tradition of being highly open to trade: Chilean trade negotiators have strong skills, a wide range of international contacts and are used to facing uncertain environments.

Its fair to say that in its diversification strategy, Chile went far beyond most advanced economies, pinning its hopes on the CoronaVac vaccine, developed by the Chinese company Sinovac (it has ordered 60 million doses). In contrast, most European countries have chosen only western vaccines, despite the comparative advantage of Chinese companies massive manufacturing capacity and their vaccines being easy to transport.

Choosing to participate in the clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines also strengthened Chiles negotiating position. AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac and CanSino all conducted phase 3 trials in the country.

Chile has stringent regulatory protection for clinical trial participants, but this didnt dissuade developers from conducting research there. This may have been counterbalanced by the international outlook of Chilean universities, some of which had already forged close ties with these pharmaceutical companies before the pandemic.

The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, for example, had already established links with Sinovac for developing vaccines against respiratory viruses before COVID-19 struck. So it wasnt difficult to convince the Chilean government to provide funds for hosting the CoronaVac trial in the country. In return, Sinovac promised early access to doses and a better price.

The Chilean governments ambitious goal is to vaccinate 80% of its population by June 2021. Despite having secured double the doses needed, it is now negotiating additional deals in case those contracts fail.

Rolling out the vaccine to the public is progressing quickly, having only started in early February. The Chilean health system has significant experience in mass immunisation programmes, and many vaccination centres have been set up around the country to meet this goal.

For now, the governments strategy to put Chile among the first countries to secure vaccine doses seems to have paid off. Its too early, though, to predict whether it will have a positive effect on Piera and the governments popularity.

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How Chile became an unlikely winner in the COVID-19 vaccine race - The Conversation UK

by: Michelle Robertson, Nexstar Media Wire

Healthcare volunteer Melissa Lowry prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at a regional vaccination site, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in Wakefield, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

(NEXSTAR) The COVID-19 vaccines have a series of typically mild side effects, including soreness at the injection site, swelling, fever, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.

If youre experiencing these symptoms after getting a COVID-19 vaccination, does that mean the vaccine is working to protect you in the future?

According to Dr. Richard Kennedy, a professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic and the co-director of the Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, the answer is yes side effects mean your immune response is kicking in response to the vaccine. But the initial symptoms you feel are only half the story.

Heres how it works: Your immune system has two different components innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity is your bodys first-line response to an outside invader.

Innate immunity does the same thing every time it sees a microorganism in your system. Its got to recognize that youre infected, sound the alarm and start the adaptive immune response, Kennedy said.

Innate immunity does those first two things very well. Its not very good at protecting you against viral infections, he continued. Its more of a speed bump to slow it down.

After your bodys innate response, which occurs at the first sign of an infection or virus, adaptive immunity takes over. This kind of immunity is responsible for the creation of B and T cells, which can blast away infection.

Though the current vaccines do not contain live viruses, they do trigger your immune responses to protect you. When you receive a vaccine, your innate immunity is stimulated first, which can lead to soreness, heat, fatigue, muscle aches and headaches, which should dissipate within a few days.

Within a week-and-a-half or so, your adaptive immunity starts firing, offering you actual protection from the virus.

Its like your immune system has a two-step approach, Kennedy says. The first one is all the side effects youre getting from a vaccine, and the second one is making T cells and B cells and actually protecting you from the virus.

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Are the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine a sign its working? - WJTV

QUINCY, Ill. Illinois residents under 65 years old with pre-existing medical conditions will be eligible to receive vaccination to protect them against COVID-19, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday.

The Phase 1B distribution plan on Feb. 25 will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for vaccinating pregnant women and people with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, sickle cell disease and other conditions.

Many of these people may already be eligible because theyre 65 and over or theyre in a covered profession, but those who are under 65 and live with comorbidities have an elevated risk of serious complications or even death if they contract COVID-19, he said during a tour of a vaccination site in Quincy. As quickly as we receive vaccine supply, we need to waste no time in protecting them.

Currently, those eligible for vaccination include health care workers, nursing home residents and workers, some other front-line essential workers and all residents 65 or older.

The Pritzker administration says the expansion is possible due to increased federal vaccine shipments to the state. It also notes Johnson & Johnsons one-dose COVID-19 vaccine is on track for emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration as soon as the end of the month.

Pritzker said Illinois is making progress in adding more vaccination sites, with 517 vaccination locations established statewide. However, he conceded making an appointment requires patience because the state hasnt received enough vaccines to provide for everyone who is eligible in phase 1B.

Illinois has received 2,152,425 vaccine doses, with nearly 1.5 million administered as of late Tuesday.

Also Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said there is pathway for the citys bars and restaurants to eventually serve 50% of their indoor capacity. Beginning Thursday, the businesses can serve 25% of capacity or 50 people, whichever is less.

Lightfoot said the expansion of indoor capacity to 40% will be granted once the city reaches moderate risk level in metrics that include the number of daily COVID cases and hospital capacity. She said the city is trending in the right direction.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported 2,825 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in the state. That brings to more than 1.1 million cases since the start of the pandemic, including 19,739 deaths.

As of late Tuesday, 2,082 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 464 patients in intensive care units and 232 patients on ventilators.

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Illinois to expand Phase 1B COVID-19 vaccination eligibility - WGN TV Chicago

Need more information on who is eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in Texas and how the process works? Visit the Tribune's vaccination FAQ here.

Three federally-run mass vaccination sites aimed at underserved communities are expected to open before the end of the month in Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth, Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday.

The sites will be run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state emergency management officials, and are described as pilot sites in the national effort to speed up the nation's COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort.

The sites, which are currently being adapted for the effort, are NRG Stadium in Houston, AT&T Stadium in Arlington and Fair Park in Dallas. All three are expected to open on Feb. 24, with more details to be released later about how eligible Texans can register for the vaccine in those locations, Abbott said.

More sites in Texas could be added if the pilots are successful, FEMA officials said.

Combined, the three sites are expected to administer more than 10,000 shots per day, said Seth Christensen, spokesperson for the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

These mass community sites will allow us to expand access to COVID-19 vaccinations in underserved communities and help us mitigate the spread of the virus," Abbott said in a statement. "Thank you to our partners at FEMA for working with the state of Texas to establish these vaccination sites and help us protect our most vulnerable."

Communities of color are not only being disproportionately affected by the virus, but also receiving the vaccine in lower numbers than their white counterparts.

The sites are part of a national effort to achieve President Bidens goal of administering 1.5 million shots per day and make the vaccine widely available by spring.

Currently, Texas is offering vaccines to front-line health care workers, long-term care facility residents and staff, Texans who are 65 and older, and people who have a qualifying health condition and are of a certain age, depending on which vaccine they get. You can find a list of some of those conditions here.

Check with your local health care provider or public health department. The vaccine will be available at more than 80 vaccination hubs across the state and some pharmacies, clinics and hospitals. Most providers are also requiring Texans to register for appointments to get the vaccine to minimize traffic flow. The state has a map of providers that are offering the vaccine here.

Weve heard from many Texans who have had this experience. There are simply far more eligible Texans who want vaccine doses right now than there are doses available. It will be months until the vaccine is broadly available to everyone. Until then, its best to keep checking with providers, wait until you are eligible if you are not yet and continue to wear a mask when youre out in public and practice social distancing.

Yes. Although some Texans have expressed hesitancy toward the vaccine, health experts and public officials widely agree that the vaccine is safe. Pfizer and Moderna reported their vaccines are 95% and 94% effective, respectively, at protecting people from serious illness, and while no vaccine is without side effects, clinical trials for both Pfizer and Moderna show serious reactions are rare.

The short answer is yes. Health experts still dont know how long natural immunity lasts after someone gets COVID-19, but evidence suggests it does not last very long.

FEMA will bring its own supplies of the vaccine, Christensen said. FEMAs supply is separate from the states weekly allotment from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which this week was about 400,000 doses.

More than 2.5 million Texans have received the first dose of either the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine, which requires two doses. Nearly 850,000 have gotten both doses, according to state health officials.

Some 39,000 Texans have died from the virus, which has infected more than 2 million in the state.

The sites are being set up in several states and will have an explicit focus on expanding the vaccination rate in an efficient, effective and equitable manner and making sure that high-risk communities are not left behind, the FEMA statement said.

Our state and local partners have made an extraordinary effort in the vaccine rollout, these sites are another opportunity to work together and assist in the vaccine administration, said Tony Robinson, FEMA's Region 6 administrator. We are making progress, but the job isnt complete until everyone who wants a vaccine receives a vaccine.

Disclosure: AT&T has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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FEMA will open 3 COVID-19 vaccine sites in Texas - The Texas Tribune

INDIANAPOLIS (WPTA21) - Indiana's Chief Medical Officer says as soon as the state gets a bigger supply of the COVID-19 vaccine, officials will open up the registration to Hoosiers 60 and up.

Health care workers, first responders, long-term care residents, and Hoosiers 65 years and up have been able to sign up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

While 735,000 Hoosiers have received the first dose of vaccine, and nearly 260,000 are fully vaccinated, that leaves out a large population of residents.

The state's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said she understands that folks are frustrated they can't yet sign up.

Right now, she said health officials are focusing on giving the shots to those who are most at risk of suffering serious complications or death from the virus.

Up next are Hoosiers ages 60 and up. Dr. Weaver said the state plans to increase eligibility as the state receives more and more vaccine.

This population (Hoosiers 60-65) includes approximately 432,000 people.

Dr. Weaver said it's incredibly important to target this population because this age group accounts for 93 percent of the COVID-19 deaths in Indiana.

When health staffers have vaccinated an appropriate number of people in the 60-65 age group, the state will expand eligibility.

Dr. Weaver said in the following phase of vaccine eligibility, Indiana will give shots to Hoosiers 50 and up, and those with certain comorbidities:

Indiana state health officials estimate 51,000 Hoosiers with these medical conditions will be contacted by their health care provider to arrange a vaccination.

Dr. Box said the state is more than ready to give shots to more and more Hoosiers, but it all comes down to a lack of supply of the vaccine.

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and resources near you, click here.

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Here's who is next in line to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Indiana - wpta21.com

Massachusetts has opted to include residents and staff at correctional facilities in its first phase of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. But getting vaccinated is a choice and some incarcerated people are hesitant to be first in line.

There are a number of people who are taking a wait-and-see attitude, says the Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, M76, H06, co-pastor at Bethel AME Church in Boston, a retired physician, and trustee emerita at Tufts University. And of course our concern is that while youre waiting and seeing youre still being exposed.

White-Hammond was part of a group of experts who held multiple Ask Me Anything sessions at two jails in Boston last week, working to make sure incarcerated people have access to the information they need to make an informed decision on the vaccine.

The conditions in prisonsshared living spaces, communal meals, poor ventilationare ideal for facilitating the spread of a respiratory virus like COVID-19. According to a December report from the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice, the confirmed case rates of the virus in prisons are more than triple the national average.

Even with the best prevention techniques, youre still going to have it because of the congregate living setting, says physician Alysse Wurcel, J00, GBS14, an infectious disease specialist at Tufts Medical Center and an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. She joined White-Hammond and the Rev. Liz Walker, a member of Massachusetts COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group, in the question-and-answer sessions.

Outbreaks in prisons can fuel outbreaks in the surrounding communities, Wurcel says. Prisons dont exist separately from the rest of society; staff come and go on a daily basis and many people are only incarcerated for short periods of time.

Our society is only as healthy as the sickest person, Wurcel says. Its only as healthy as the most vulnerable.

Wurcel, who works to prevent and treat infectious diseases in prisons, notes that the majority of people who are incarcerated turn down the annual flu vaccine. She worried that acceptance rates for the COVID-19 vaccine would be equally low.

There is some variability, but some jails are having up to 50 percent of incarcerated people accepting the COVID vaccine, Wurcel says. To outsiders that might seem really, really low, but I think it is promising. Youre talking about someone saying, Okay, stick a needle in my arm, when they dont necessarily have a lot of faith in the medical system.

After generations of medical exploitation, mistreatment, and neglect, Black people are far more likely to distrust the health care system, White-Hammond says. And they are significantly overrepresented in U.S. prisons because of targeted policing, uneven sentencing and other manifestations of systemic racism.

White-Hammond wasnt surprised when a man at the South Bay House of Correction expressed his concerns about being used as a guinea pig for the vaccine.

He said there must be something wrong with the vaccine, White-Hammond says. I know people are having a hard time getting it on the outside. Why would they be giving it to us first, unless they were trying to test something?

To recognize this history of medical abuses, the women played a video about the now-infamous Tuskegee syphilis study, in which hundreds of Black men were denied proper diagnosis and treatment for the disease. The study ran for decades, long after penicillin had been discovered as an effective cure. Many of the men died from syphilis and related complications or unknowingly spread the disease to their spouses, who in turn passed it on to their children at birth.

We wanted to highlight that and let people know, yes, this is very real. This did happen. And youre not crazy, White-Hammond says. Lets acknowledge this historical reality and the extent to which it has been, and is, an unjust system. Lets make it right in the context of the pandemic.

The incarcerated individuals also had many of the same questions that everyone is asking: If youve already had COVID-19, do you need to get the vaccine? (Yes.) Should you still wear a mask after getting it? (Yes.) How long does it last? (Were not sureyou might need a booster down the line.) How do we know its safe? (It has gone through multiple phases of clinical trials, been reviewed by panels of experts and been approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration.)

The goal wasnt to convince every person to get vaccinated, Wurcel says, but to answer their questions, listen to their concerns and let them decide for themselves.

Theyre at risk for spreading the virus, for bringing it back into communities in which they dont have access to equitable health care, Wurcel says. Were meeting people where theyre at.

Read more:

Incarcerated People Have Questionsand ConcernsAbout the COVID-19 Vaccine. These Doctors Are Listening - Tufts Now

Here's the latest news on the vaccine rollout in North Texas.

This story will be updated throughout the day as new information is released.

Here's the latest news on the vaccine rollout in North Texas happening Wednesday.

For a daily roundup of the latest news from around North Texas and beyond,sign up for the WFAA email newsletter.

Here are the vaccine numbersas of Wednesday morning in Texas:

Lewisville hosting vaccine registration event Wednesday

The city of Lewisville is hosting a vaccine registration event to help people get signed up for their dose.

It will be from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Lewisville Public Library (west entrance off Civic Circle) at 1197 W. Main St., Lewisville. There will be mobile hotspots on-site for free Wi-Fi access.

The sign-ups will be for the Denton County Public Health Interest Portal.

There will be assistance available for Spanish and Chin speakers.

The event was originally at Central Park but was moved due to the weather.

Dallas City Council District 7 holding vaccine registration events

Dallas City Councilmember Adam Bazaldua's staff are hosting several vaccine registration events throughout District 7 on Wednesday to help people get on the waitlist for Dallas County.

Below are the events happening Wednesday:

Grand Prairie and Irving joint vaccine site to reopen

The joint vaccine facility for Grand Prairie and Irving will reopen Wednesday

It's at The Theater at Grand Prairie, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, 75050.

There will be 1,000 Moderna vaccine doses administered at the location. The vaccines are for people in groups 1A or 1B. Walk-ups are not allowed.

Registration is required through Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Here is the process for the vaccine registration:

Vaccine Registration Process:

Parkland sites to close Thursday through Monday due to weather

Parkland, which operates sites at Ellis Davis Field House and Eastfield Community College (Mesquite) will be closed Thursday, Feb 11 through Monday, Feb. 15 due to the extremely cold weather.

Patients who have an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, first or second dose, at Ellis Davis or Eastfield on these days should instead go to Parkland Memorial Hospital at 5200 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas 75235 at their scheduled vaccine appointment time and date.

Patients should park in the Tower Garage and go to the main hospital lobby where Parkland staff will direct them to go for their vaccination once in the hospital.

Patients unable to go to the hospital for their appointment will be contacted by Parkland to reschedule their vaccination appointment in the upcoming days. Patients are asked to please do not contact Parkland.

In addition, Parkland-operated COVID-19 walk up testing sites at Sam Tasby Middle School in Dallas, Irving Health Center and West Dallas Multipurpose Center will be closed Thursday, Feb.11 through Monday, Feb. 15. Regular hours will resume Tuesday, February 16. For more information visit, https://www.parklandhospital.com/covid-19-testing.

Drive-thru operations to begin at Fair Park

Dallas County Health and Human Services said it will begin drive-thru operations starting at 12 p.m. Wednesday at Fair Park. A limited number of doses for anyone 55 and older with certain underlying health conditions who have an appointment will be available, the department announced on Twitter.

"This change in age for the vaccination criteria will be communicated to all staff and volunteers working at Fair Park," the tweet said.

Health officials said vaccinations for first doses are by-appointment-only and people need to show their QR code or provide their name and date of birth to verify the appointment.

The department said vaccinations for second doses do not require an appointment at this time. People are advised to bring a vaccination card and follow the return date written on the card.

According to health officials, people may also receive a reminder text for their second dose with instructions to fill out a form. Community members are asked to fill out the form prior to arriving at Fair Park. They will also receive a QR code, to help speed up the vaccination process, officials said.

If people don't have their vaccination card with them, staff on-site will be able to look people up by name to confirm they received the first dose at Fair Park.

Health officials said people can only receive their second dose at Fair Park if they received their first dose at the same location.

Tarrant County to host two drive-thru vaccination sites with Fort Worth ISD

Tarrant County officials have come to an agreement with the Fort Worth Independent School District to host two drive-thru vaccination clinics at district properties now through Sept. 30, officials announced Tuesday night.

The clinics will be in the parking lots of two district facilities:

The district is providing the locations free of charge to the county, officials said.

CVS expected to open up vaccine appointments at pharmacies across Texas on Thursday

CVS Health announced last week it would begin distributing COVID-19 vaccine doses at 70 pharmacies across Texas this week.

Appointment bookings will become available as early as Thursday, Feb. 11 as stores get vaccine shipments, according to the company. That was originally supposed to be Tuesday, Feb. 9, but has been pushed back due to a shipping delay.

The locations will begin to offer the vaccinations starting Friday, Feb. 12, a change from the originally planned day of Feb. 11 due to the slight delay.

To register for an appointment, patients must be in either Phase 1A or 1Bof Texas' vaccine plan.

Once registration opens, people who are eligible can sign up online at CVS.com, through the CVS app or by calling 800-746-7287. The locations will not provide vaccinations to walk-ins.

Note: Appointments are not yet available in Texas.

Dallas ISD hosting registration events for vaccine waitlist

The Dallas Independent School District is holding regular events to help people register for the waitlist to get the vaccine.

Fannin County officials postpone vaccinations due to weather

Fannin County's COVID-19 vaccine hub that was originally scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday has been postponed two weeks due to weather, officials said.

The vaccines will now take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 24, the Fannin County Office of Emergency Management said in a news release.

Anyone that was originally scheduled for Feb. 10 will have the same scheduled appointment time on Feb. 24, according to officials.

Those who have been affected by the postponement have been contacted by the county's vaccine scheduling center.

"Due to the winter weather forecast, the immediate safety of the citizens traveling in hazardous conditions is top priority," the news release stated.

Click here for more information on the county's vaccine call center.

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