Texas COVID-19 Vaccine: Second-Shot Hesitancy Increasing; What Does It

More than a million individuals in Texas are late for their second COVID-19 vaccination by more than 90 days. According to the Department of State Health Services, this is the case. Approximately two million are late by at least 30 days.

As of September 6, 1.89 million individuals have not returned for their second dosage of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). More than 1 million individuals, or 11 percent of the 1.89 million persons, had missed their second dosage by more than 90 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises waiting three weeks after the first Pfizer injection and four weeks after the first Moderna shot before receiving a second dose.

Less than 50% Of Texan Population Fully Vaccinated

As of Sunday, slightly under half of Texas’ population had been completely vaccinated, accounting for almost half of the state’s 24 million people who were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccinations. Almost 54% are fully vaccinated, CDC said.

The state’s statistics fall below the national average, which shows that 63 percent of individuals aged 12 and above who are eligible for the vaccination had been completely vaccinated as of Monday.

SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 29: A nurse fills up a syringe with the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination site at a senior center on March 29, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. Texas has opened up all vaccination eligibility to all adults starting today. Texas has had a slower roll out than some states and with the increase in eligibility leaders are hoping more and more citizens get vaccinated. (Photo by Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

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Although the initial injection is believed to be 50 to 60% effective in preventing coronavirus infection, others worry that receiving just one dose in the face of the highly infectious Delta variant’s fast spread is akin to “not being vaccinated at all.”

Dr. James McDeavitt, executive vice president and dean of clinical affairs at Baylor College of Medicine, told the Texas Tribune that one dosage offers very little protection when Delta first emerged. So if the person just had one dosage of Pfizer or Moderna amid Delta’s peak, he or she in the same boat as if you hadn’t been vaccinated at all.

COVID-19 Cases In Texas Rapidly Increased

Newsweek said COVID-19 cases have rapidly increased in Texas since June, with the Delta-fueled spike mostly affecting the state’s unvaccinated population. Unvaccinated individuals account for 90% of all hospitalizations in the state.

Officials are now encouraging individuals to obtain their vaccinations to guarantee that they are safe against the Delta strain.

Some individuals who have only gotten one dosage in the state database may get their second dose in another state, according to the DHSH. The agency also said that other people may be getting their dosage today or tomorrow. These numbers would not include them.

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