Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced plans for the State of Texas to participate in the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program.

In an announcement released Friday, Dec. 11, Gov. Greg Abbott said the State of Texas will take advantage of a federal program to provide residents and staff of long-term care facilities with COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer for those who volunteer or participate.

Long term care facilities will not have to pay for the program, as it's being offered for free. The vaccines will come from partnering Walgreens and CVS locations.

According to the report, pharmacies will receive the vaccines the week of December 21 with the program beginning December 28. So far, over 1,200 nursing facilities and over 2,000 long-term care facilities have signed up for the program.

Governor Abbott says,

"The Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program will help the State of Texas facilitate safe vaccinations among some of our most vulnerable populations, and it will help us protect residents and staff of long-term care facilities from COVID-19. I thank the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for offering this program free of charge to these facilities and for working alongside us to keep our communities safe."

According to a report in the New York Times, the C.D.C. says health care workers, residents at nursing homes, and long term care facilities should be first in line for the vaccines.

Another report has it that the C.D.C. expects the program to continue for the facilities that sign up for it, for two months from the first vaccination date. After that, the facilities may continue to work with pharmacy it partnered with or switch to another participating pharmacy.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

KEEP READING: See states hit hardest by COVID-19’s impact on tourism

More From KLTD-FM