AUSTIN (KXAN) — In an effort to get the COVID-19 vaccine to more Texans, the state has created a mobile vaccine pilot program to focus on underserved areas of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Division of Emergency Management announced Wednesday.

The mobile vaccination teams will be deployed to five rural counties — DeWitt, Marion, Real, Sherman, and Starr — to administer vaccinations to qualified Texans in those communities.

The teams, staffed by Texas National Guard personnel, are prepared to begin vaccinations on Thursday. TDEM is actively working with county officials on scheduling, according to the release.

“The State Mobile Vaccine Pilot Program will help us ramp up vaccination efforts among homebound Texans, Texans 65 years of age or older, and among communities in need,” Gov. Abbott said in the release. “I thank TDEM, the Texas National Guard, as well as our participating city and county officials for working together on this important project. We will continue to develop strategies to vaccinate more Texans and keep our communities safe.”

This week, the Texas Department of State Health and Human Services said 332,750 first doses will come to Texas from the federal government.

Texas DSHS planned to ship those doses to 212 providers across the state — including 82 hub providers and 130 additional providers.