On Monday, March 29, all Texas adults will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced Tuesday.
The move came as TDSHS expects vaccine supplies to increase over the next week and because vaccine providers across the state have “made great strides” in vaccinating community members.
“DSHS has directed vaccine providers to prioritize people 80 years old or older when scheduling appointments and accommodate anyone in that age group who presents for vaccination, whether or not they have an appointment, by immediately moving them to the front of the line,” the TDSHS announcement reads.
But what does this mean for Collin County, specifically?
Collin County Vaccination Background
Collin County’s COVID-19 vaccination waitlist was launched in early January for those who met TDSHS’ 1A, health care workers and residents in long-term care facilities, and 1B, those over 65 and those 16 or older with chronic medical conditions, categories.
Thousands signed up, which caused major problems. Collin County Commissioners voted on Jan. 11 to contract with Curative Medical Associates to distribute vaccines at the John Clark Stadium. However, on Feb. 4, Curative’s staff had to cut off the line early. Among various reasons for the problem was that Collin County works off a waitlist compared to Curative’s other sites across the country that give vaccines on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The vaccination site blunder caused county commissioners to temporarily suspend new sign-ups on the waitlist on Feb. 8 because of extreme backup. A month later, as the county finished vaccinating those left on the waitlist, commissioners took informal action to move COVID-19 vaccine appointments from a waitlist to a first-come, first-serve model.
The first-come, first-serve appointments began on Friday, March 12, according to Collin County Health Care Services’ website. New appointments are added every Friday at 10 a.m. based on vaccine availability.
But it is unclear how the change will affect operations at the John Clark Stadium. CCHCS public information officer Darrell Willis said the county and Curative officials are still trying to figure out what to do now that vaccines are open for all adults Monday.
“Our county leadership is currently working with Curative to find the best possible solution,” Willis said. “Once a final solution is decided, I’ll be happy to pass along the information.”
McKinney’s vaccine hub at McKinney ISD Stadium, which is being run by the fire department, will not be vaccinating all adults starting Monday, according to Merit Ossian, the public information officer for the McKinney Fire Department, because the COVID-19 vaccine hub will close by April 30, and they will only be giving out second vaccine doses starting Friday, March 26.
Where Can I Get Vaccinated in Collin County?
For now, there are multiple places around the county to get your vaccine, according to CCHCS’ website, including:
- Curative Medical Associates at the John Clark Stadium in Plano. Curative requires patients to wear masks, and you must bring a government-issued ID with your legal name and birthday. To sign up with Curative, click here.
- The University of Texas at Dallas/UT Southwestern Medical Center at UTD’s Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. Vaccinations are available for those in priority groups and who sign up. No walk-up appointments are allowed. To sign up with UTD, click here.
- Baylor Scott & White Plano at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Plano. Appointments open up weekly. To make an appointment, click here or call 1-844-BSW-VACC (279-8222).
- The City of McKinney at McKinney ISD Stadium. The City of McKinney is giving first-dose Moderna vaccines for those in Phases 1A, 1B and 1C, which is for those between 50 and 64 years old. After Friday, McKinney will only be giving out second vaccine doses. To schedule an appointment with McKinney, click here.
- The City of Frisco at Stonebriar Center. The City of Frisco’s vaccine hub is by appointment only. Appointments are reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis. The city is using its newsletter to reach out to subscribers to make appointments. To subscribe to the city’s newsletter, Focal Point, click here.
- The City of Allen at the Allen Eagle Stadium. The City of Allen uses email to alert subscribers when new vaccine appointments are available. To sign up for Allen’s email list, click here.
- The City of Murphy at the Murphy Community Center. The City of Murphy is allowing those who fall under TSDHS’ 1C group to sign up for its waitlist to get a vaccination appointment. To sign up for the city’s waitlist, click here.
