HOUSTON — State health officials said Thursday about one in four people age 65 and older have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas.
However, new study shows more than 40 percent of Texans overall don’t want or aren’t sure about the vaccine.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said the county needs 70 to 90 percent of people to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
She called vaccine skepticism a “clear and present danger” to defeating the virus.
“For better or worse, it’s a reality, and we can’t turn the other way,” said Hidalgo. “We have to tackle this head-on.”
She launched a new media campaign Thursday to reach people most hesitant to get the shots.
Hidalgo says that’s often Black and Hispanic communities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19.
“A lot of it has to do with the lack of health care access in those communities, with the lack of attention they’ve received in the past,” said Hidalgo. “So, to break down that wall of suspicion, we are providing these materials, ads in multiple languages.”
They’re also targeting the hardest hit ZIP codes by COVID with print, billboards, and social media.
Imelda Garcia, associate commissioner for the Texas Department of State Health Services’ Division for Laboratory and Infectious Disease Services, said Texas will get around 400,000 doses of the vaccine next week.
Garcia said she would need to see a million doses per week to consider Texas at an ideal level of vaccination.
She told reporters DSHS staff is pushing the federal government daily for more doses.