AUSTIN, Texas — A mix-up first reported last week at a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine facility in Baltimore is decreasing the supply Texas will be receiving next week.
According to Imelda Garcia with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel, Texas will go from about 500,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week to about 130,000 next week. That amounts to a decrease of about 74%.
Garcia said she still expects a good allocation for next week, just not as high as it could be.
"We think it still should be close to about 2 million doses available in Texas for next week," she said. "With additional reductions looking ahead, I don't know yet what the true impact will be. We'll have to be much more strategic and much more laser-focused in where the limited J&J goes in order to make sure those who who are most vulnerable and can't get to other vaccines easily will have access to the limited J&J that we have."
Employees at the Baltimore manufacturing plant reportedly mixed up ingredients during the manufacturing process, effectively ruining 15 million doses of the vaccine.
Unlike the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine, which require two doses, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one.
Updated numbers on where the DSHS will be sending vaccines next week, including those from Moderna and Pfizer, are expected to come on Friday.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: