Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and his health department announced Thursday that Texas had administered more than one million first doses, making the Lone Star State the national leader in vaccinations against the Chinese coronavirus.
Republican-led states appear to be doing better in getting their residents vaccinated than those governed by Democrats, as of today.
The governor declared in a statement:
Texas is leading the way for our nation once again. This is the biggest vaccination effort we have ever undertaken, and it would not be possible without the dedication and tireless efforts of our healthcare workers. We still have a long road ahead of us, but Texans continue to prove that we are up to this challenge.
“This milestone comes exactly one month to the day after the first doses arrived at vaccine providers in the state on December 14,” Gov. Abbott’s office added in the press release containing his statement.
Data maintained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that Texas, the second-most populous state in the U.S., is leading all other states in vaccinating people to defeat the virus.
“Among the top 20 states for doses distributed, Texas ranks number one for the percentage of doses administered,” it added, citing CDC data.
As of 9:oo a.m. Thursday, Texas had received 2,105,600 doses (7,262 per 100,000 residents), the CDC data revealed, adding that the state had administered the first dose to 1,043,624 people (3,599 per 100,000) – more than any other state.
Two vaccines that require two doses — developed by Pfizer and Moderna — have been granted emergency approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). More are coming down the pipeline, including some that only require one dose.
Of the five states that CDC data showed have vaccinated the fewest residents with their available doses, Democrats govern the majority.
Respectively those states reportedly include:
- Kansas (D): 131,750 distributed; 20,110 administered (15.26%)
- Georgia (R): 483,650 distributed; 75,157 administered (15.54%)
- Arizona (R): 411,025 distributed; 66,059 administered (16.07%)
- Louisiana (D): 218,425 distributed; 49,589 administered (22.70%)
- Virginia (D): 468,950 distributed; 108,861 administered (23.21%)
Conversely, the CDC data revealed that Republicans govern most of the top five states that have vaccinated the most people with their available doses.
Those states reportedly include, respectively:
- South Dakota (R): 43,325 distributed; 26,913 administered (62.12%)
- North Dakota (R): 37,900 distributed; 22,240 administered (58.68%)
- Tennessee (R): 300,250 distributed; 152,516 administered (50.80%)
- Connecticut (D): 149.900 distributed; 75,946 administered (50.66%)
- Maine (D): 66,250 distributed; 31,663 administered (47.79%)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) was lauded by the corporate media and other Democrats for his handling of the pandemic, even after one of his virus-related directives led to the death of thousands of seniors.
New York, the fourth most populous state and home to the city (New York City) with the largest population in the U.S. is currently having trouble with its vaccination roll-out.
The state has received 1,872,625 (9,626 per 100,000) but only administered the first dose to 688,576 (3,540 per 100,000), the CDC reported.
Critics, including New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio, have lambasted Cuomo for some of his policies and suggest the governor’s prioritization criteria has slowed the vaccination process.
DeBlasio has begged the state to allow more New Yorkers to receive doses, prompting the governor to expand vaccine eligibility and warning Monday that the city’s vaccine supply will run out in less than two weeks.
The press release from Gov. Abbott’s office noted that Texas allows the vaccination of the vulnerable population across the state, including front-line healthcare workers, residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and seniors over 65 or with a chronic medical condition, to reduce hospitalizations.
“Texas receives more vaccine from the federal government each week and expects the weekly amount to increase in the future,” the press release concluded. “The State of Texas will continue to swiftly distribute these vaccines to reduce hospitalizations and save lives.”
Democrat-led California, the most populous state in America, is one of two states that come close to Texas in vaccinations, with 975,293 first doses distributed (2,468 per 100,000) as of today, CDC data showed.
Until recently, California was the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S., and the Los Angeles Times asserted Thursday that new estimates show the virus has infected one in three people in L.A.
Last Wednesday, the Associated Press (AP) announced that public health experts had deemed Arizona the coronavirus “hot spot in the world” amid a surge in the state.
According to the CDC, Republican-led Florida is the third state with the highest number of vaccinations, with 774,485 (3,606 per 100,000) first doses administered.
CDC officials reported that the federal government had distributed over 30.6 million doses as of Thursday morning, but states have only administered over 11 million.