PHASE 1A Protecting health care workers is essential to keeping the health care system intact and able to care for COVID-19 and other patients, so phase 1A of vaccine distribution, when the vaccine supply is most limited, will focus on making vaccine available to health care workers. To support this distribution, the EVAP has recommended, and Dr. Hellerstedt has approved, a tiered definition of health care workers specific to Phase 1A. During this phase, the EVAP will make recommendations based on the priority order in the Health Care Workers definition. On Dec. 4, following guidance issued by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Dr. Hellerstedt approved the EVAP’s recommendation to include residents of longterm care facilities in the first tier of Phase 1A so they can be among the first Texas residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.