Texas teachers, child care workers now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials say

Most school and childcare workers in Texas are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced Wednesday.

State health officials said the decision came after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday expanded vaccine eligibility to include those workers.

According to the federal directive, vaccination efforts should now include “those who work in pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools, as well as Head Start and Early Head Start programs (including teachers, staff, and bus drivers) and those who work as or for licensed child care providers, including center-based and family care providers.”

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Texas health officials said teachers and child care workers will be considered part of the state's definition of Phase 1A and 1B COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. Groups that were already part of those groups will not be affected by the change, the state health department said in a written statement.

This is a developing story; check back later for details.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas teachers, child care workers now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials say

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