WACO, TX — COVID-19 vaccinations have hit a standstill across the country and right here in Central Texas. There is confusion on the percentage of those vaccinated in the State of Texas. When it comes to public health, accurate information is important.
In a simple search for vaccinations in the State of Texas, there are a couple of different answers that pop off.
The CDC said 52.32 percent. Google reports 43.6 percent. The Texas Department of State Health Services said 43.4 percent; and in a separate email from Wednesday, July 28, 2021, they said 52.3 percent were vaccinated.
Chris Van Deusen, spokesperson for the department said some numbers account for every single Texan while others only for ages 12 and up because that is who can get the vaccine.
"What we focus on is the percentage of the eligible population who are fully vaccinated," Van Duesen said. "That is anyone 12 and older, two shots of Pfzier or Moderna or one Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Right now that's about 52 percent in Texas."
In simple terms, the numbers in the 40s represent everyone including those children under 12 who are not eligible. Another thing to consider, some of the data is missing information from the DSHS dashboard compared to the CDC.
"They actually count more doses than we do, so federal agencies like the Department of Defense that do vaccinations," Van Deusen said. "They don't report them to us. There, the CDC's numbers are even more complete and are going to be a bit higher than ours because of that."
