Texas is the first state to administer 1 million doses of coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Greg Abbot (R) said Thursday.
Among the top 20 states for distribution, Texas ranks first in terms of the percentage of doses administered, Abbot said in his statement.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show tIf Lone Star State has administered 1,043,624 doses since January 14, the state has distributed 2,105,600 doses.
Voluntary vaccination is currently underway in the state for primary care workers, asylum seekers and care institutions, as well as for people over the age of 65 or those with chronic conditions.
According to The Texas Tribune, Abbot said 1.4 million health care workers and vulnerable residents will be vaccinated by the end of 2020, but the initial release of the vaccine was met with poor communication and technical issues.
“Texas is once again the way for our nation,” Abbott said in a statement. “This is the biggest vaccination effort we have ever made and it would not have been possible without the dedication and tireless efforts of our health care workers.
“We still have a long way to go, but Texans continue to show that we are up to the challenge,” he added.
The number comes as the US struggles to vaccinate more people after dealing with a slow release late last year. Up to 11 million doses have been administered so far out of 30 million distributed doses.
Several states, including Mississippi, New York and California, have recently expanded eligibility for vaccination in an effort to vaccinate more populations.