TxDSHS

Early Vaccination a Defense Against Serious Illness as New Flu Season Begins This Month

October 1, 2024 - Texas Influenza Awareness Day is today, and DSHS recommends Texans get vaccinated against flu as soon as possible to protect themselves and their families from illness. Because the body takes about two weeks to make flu antibodies after getting a flu shot, early vaccination is critical as flu cases traditionally begin to rise this time of year.

DSHS Rallies Support for the Fight Against Congenital Syphilis

Testing and treatment key to turning the tide

September 18, 2024 - The Texas Department of State Health Services is putting a statewide focus on congenital syphilis, a disease that has profound effects on hundreds of babies in Texas each year. Congenital syphilis cases rose from 166 in 2017 to 922 in 2022, the most recent year with final data, tracking with an increase in syphilis among adults. Texas accounted for 25 percent of the congenital syphilis cases in the United States in 2022 compared with roughly 10 percent of total births.

Underserved Communities to Benefit from $20 Million in Health Center Grants

August 4, 2022 - The Department of State Health Services is seeking grant applications for the DSHS Federally Qualified Health Center Incubator Program. Program grants will help eligible non-profit and public health care providers expand their services among underserved and uninsured Texans.

“Supporting people’s access to quality health care is part of DSHS’s mission to improve the health and well-being of Texans,” said DSHS Commissioner John Hellerstedt, MD. “This funding will further that goal in communities across Texas.”

TxDSHS Statement on Monoclonal Antibody Availability

December 28, 2021 - The federal government controls the distribution of monoclonal antibodies, and the regional infusion centers in Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, San Antonio and The Woodlands have exhausted their supply of sotrovimab, the monoclonal antibody effective against the COVID-19 Omicron variant, due to the national shortage from the federal government. They will not be able to offer it until federal authorities ship additional courses of sotrovimab to Texas in January. People who had appointments scheduled this week will be contacted directly and advised.

Texas Receives More than 500,000 First Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine This Week

February 1, 2021 - The state of Texas will receive 520,425 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government for the week of February 1. The Texas Department of State Health Services has instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship those doses to 344 providers in 166 counties across Texas. That includes 82 hub providers that will focus on broader community vaccination efforts including the hardest hit populations and areas in exchange for a steady supply of vaccine from week to week.

COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives in Texas

December 14, 2020 - The first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine have been delivered in Texas. Four sites received 19,500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine Monday morning. An additional 19 sites will receive 75,075 doses on Tuesday.

“Seeing the first doses of vaccine arrive in Texas is an important milestone signaling that a return to our way of life is within sight,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS Commissioner. “We cannot stop short of the finish line. This hope should lift our spirits and strengthen our resolve to do what must be done to end the pandemic.”

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