COVID-19, including:
a. Physicians, nurses, respiratory
therapists, and other support staff;
b. Additional clinical staff providing
supporting laboratory, pharmacy,
diagnostic, and/or rehabilitation services.
2. Long-term care staff working directly
with vulnerable residents, including:
a. Direct care providers at nursing
homes, assisted living facilities, and state
supported living centers;
b. Physicians, nurses, personal care
assistants, custodial, and food service
staff.
3. EMS providers who engage in 911
emergency services like pre-hospital care
and transport.
4. Home healthcare workers, including
hospice care, who directly interface with
vulnerable and high-risk patients.
5. Residents of long-term care facilities.
PHASE 1A
Healthcare Workers Defi nition
(Tier 2)
1. Staff in outpatient care offi ces
who interact with symptomatic
patients, including:
a. Physicians, nurses, respiratory
therapists, and other support staff;
b. Clinical staff providing diagnostic,
laboratory, and/or rehabilitation services;
c. Non 911 transportation for routine
care.
10 DALLAS MEDICAL JOURNAL • January 2021
2. Direct care staff in freestanding
emergency medical care facilities and
urgent care clinics.
3. Community pharmacy staff who may
provide direct services to clients, including
vaccination or testing for individuals who
may have COVID-19.
4. Public health and emergency response
staff directly involved in administration of
COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.
5. Last responders who provide mortuary
or death services to decedents with
COVID-19, including:
a. Embalmers and funeral home workers
who have direct contact with decedents;
b. Medical examiners and other medical
certifi ers who have direct contact with
decedents.
6. School nurses who provide healthcare
to students and teachers.
Local efforts led by Dr. Trish Perl to develop
more granular guidance on prioritizing
the COVID-19 vaccine in the setting of
currently limited supply has recently been
completed by a workgroup of the Dallas
County Public Health Committee, the DFW
Hospital Council, and DCMS. This document
is available at bit.ly/COVID19vaccinepriorityguide
(updated as of December
14, 2020).
Planning for delivery of the vaccine in
Dallas County represents a strong partnership
with our federal and state partners,
local cities, area physicians, hospitals, other
providers, pharmacies, and many others,
and we are all working closely together to
address the logistical challenges of getting
all of Dallas County vaccinated. Physicians
are still able to sign up to provide the
COVID-19 vaccine. Any facility, organization,
or healthcare provider licensed to possess
or administer vaccines or to provide vaccination
services is eligible to enroll. The
fi rst step to becoming a COVID-19 vaccine
provider is registering through enrolltexasiz.
dshs.texas.gov/emrlogin.asp. Only
providers registered through this site can
receive and administer the COVID-19 vaccine
in Texas. In particular, we are looking
for additional providers that serve the
southeast Dallas area or vulnerable populations.
DMJ
Many tools are being developed to assist with
this effort, and CDC has just made available the
following COVID-19 communication resources:
• Engaging in Effective COVID -19 Vaccine Conversations:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/hcp/engagingpatients.
html
• Toolkit for Medical Centers, Clinics, and Clinicians:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/health-systemscommunication
toolkit.html
The rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine is a huge
scientifi c achievement and fi nally provides some light at
the end of the tunnel, but it must be kept in mind that we
cannot relax yet. It will be several months before vaccine
will be available to the general public. We all need to
continue to promote the simple but effective things that we
know work to slow down the spread of COVID-19: wearing
of masks, avoiding crowds, six feet of physical distancing,
and washing hands.