BEAUMONT, Texas — On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration could decide the fate of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine and whether it will be distributed to people nationwide.
Officials will decide whether to approve it for emergency use authorization.
If the vaccine is approved, it's expected to arrive on Monday. CHRISTUS Health, Baptist Hospital and the Medical Center of Southeast Texas will receive just under 3,000 doses. Those first doses will be given to frontline health care workers.
Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel said he agrees with the decision to give the first round of vaccinations to those helping to treat patients.
"Anybody who is on the front lines and taking care COVID patients, those should be first and that's a no-brainer," McDaniel said.
That first round will not be enough for everyone. So who decides the order?
According to Jefferson County EMA director Mike White, the hospital systems receiving the vaccinations have the power to determine which health care providers will get the vaccine first.
That leaves a lot of looming questions.
"I just want to know who is in line after that. Kind of what order, that is, and some kind of ETA, some kind of timeline. What we can we expect for the month of December and going into January as far as who gets it next," McDaniel said.
He doesn't know when he might be eligible to get the shot.
"I don't know the ETA. I don't know what group I fall into," McDaniel said.
He said he does plan on getting the vaccine when he has the chance.
"When it comes time for me to be eligible to receive the vaccine, I intend to get it," McDaniel said.