TEXAS — It’s anticipated that on Monday the first shipments of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in Texas.

In all, Texas is slated to receive 620,000 doses of the vaccine, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Importantly, rural parts of the state will start receiving shipments.

According to the DSHS Week 2 vaccination schedule, the drug will be delivered to numerous pharmacies and health care facilities in Bexar, Dallas, Comal, and Travis counties, among others. 

As of Monday morning, DSHS reports 26,007 people in Texas have been vaccinated with at least one dose and 224,250 total doses have been distributed. This includes 184 of 254 Texas counties.

During a press briefing last week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was confident a million Texans would be vaccinated before 2020 is over.

Public health experts say the shots — and others in the pipeline — are the only way to stop a virus that has been spreading wildly. Nationwide, more than 219,000 people per day on average test positive for the virus, which has killed more than 314,000 in the U.S. and nearly 1.7 million worldwide.

The Pfizer and Moderna shots shipped so far and going out over the next few weeks are nearly all going to health care workers and residents of long-term care homes, based on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

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However, an expert committee put people 75 and older and essential workers like firefighters, teachers and grocery store workers next in line for COVID-19 shots as the second vaccine began rolling out Sunday to hospitals, a desperately needed boost as the nation works to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control.

On Sunday, DSHS reported 6,244 new confirmed cases of the virus as well as 1,372 new probably cases. There were 122 new fatalities reported. Statewide, 9,856 people are being treated for the virus in hospitals. There are 11,917 hospital beds available and just 748 available hospital beds.

A complete list of the state’s Week 2 vaccine distribution schedule follows:

COVIDVaccineAllocation-Week2 by Craig on Scribd

The Associated Press contributed to this report.