Houston coronavirus: answers to common questions about the COVID-19 vaccine

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) – This week, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced that a total of 1.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed statewide. The vast majority of doses are sent to private hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices. County and city health departments are treated like any other provider under the state plan and typically do not have the most doses in every county.

The lack of a statewide distribution plan or a phone number that people can call to make appointments has created a lot of questions. ABC13 analyzed the data to answer some of your questions below. Texas DSHS COVID-19 vaccine full link can be found on the state dashboard.

Who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccines currently?

According to the state of Texas, the vaccine distribution has been broken down into phases. Phase 1A includes medical workers and people living in nursing homes, and phase 1B includes anyone aged 65 and over or 16 and over with a chronic illness such as cancer, COPD , heart disease, organ transplantation, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease and type 2 diabetes.

I am eligible for the vaccine! Can I get it now?

Perhaps. There are not enough doses for everyone who qualifies. In general, patients who have established relationships with large hospital chains have access to vaccines more quickly.

How can I try to get vaccinated?

the the city of Houston now has an online system for making appointments, but only for those who belong to the groups of phases 1A and 1B – first responders and those over 65 years of age or with qualifying conditions.

If you do not meet these conditions, do not make an appointment at this time. Appointment times are added as the City of Houston Health Department receives more doses, so check back often.

If you have private health insurance, authorities recommend that you check with your personal doctor first to see if they are related to a large hospital chain or if they have requested doses from the state.

If you use a hospital system, like Memorial Hermann or Houston Methodist, for your primary care, call the office and make sure you’ve signed up with your latest email and contact details. They will let you know when you are eligible. Also, call your pharmacy if you use one regularly and be sure to ask to sign up or ask if they have any available. You can also check with emergency care facilities near you if they are lining up for vaccines.

Is there a list of locations with vaccines?

ABC13 organized the state database for all facilities that received vaccines in Harris, Fort Bend and Galveston counties. You can find the built-in list here. You can search and try to call one of the providers. Some may have a dosage.

I called. No one has a vaccine for my elderly relative. What do I do?

You should continue to check with your local pharmacy and clinics in your area. More vaccines are delivered every day.

For example, the Galveston County Health District announced on Tuesday that it will offer the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to people aged 65 and over by appointment only. To learn more, visit the County of Galveston website.

Public health officials estimate that it will take several months for most Texans to locate vaccination doses.

Every time I call a location they tell me they only take established patients first. Is this allowed?

Texas state guidelines focus on the categories of people who should be given priority for vaccines. However, he left the actual distribution of vaccines to each supplier. Therefore, each hospital and medical clinic can create its own criteria for vaccine distribution. Since there aren’t enough vaccines for everyone, almost all hospitals and medical practices vaccinate their established patients first. ABC13 has asked state officials to clarify this issue.

My regular doctor is with the Houston Methodist. Will I get a vaccine?

Methodists began advising established patients aged 75 and over for immunization windows this week. The hospital system says it will begin notifying eligible patients 65 and older as well as those with chronic illnesses over the next one or two weeks. Methodist hospitals have so far received about 40,000 doses, one of the highest in our region.

My usual doctor is with Memorial Hermann. Will I get a vaccine?

Memorial Hermann began educating patients in Phase 1B with established relationships on Monday, December 28. Check your emails. If you haven’t received an email to schedule, you can call your doctor’s office to make sure you’re on the list. The hospital received almost 50,000 doses, the largest amount of any hospital system in our region.

My regular doctor is with Kelsey Seybold. Will I get a vaccine?

Kelsey-Seybold has received 4,600 doses so far. He is currently vaccinating phase 1A and has started some phase 1B vaccination. Kelsey-Seybold says she proactively reaches out to eligible patients

My regular doctor works at Baylor College of Medicine. Will I get a vaccine?

Baylor College of Medicine received 4,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Monday, December 28, and began immunizations on Tuesday, December 29. Baylor currently makes Phase 1A and Phase 1B vaccines. Please check your MyChart links and contact your doctor if you have any questions.

My regular doctor works with UT Health. Will I get a vaccine?

Since December 30, UT doctors have only vaccinated front-line employees as part of phase 1A. There is no schedule yet for phase 1B patients to receive the vaccine.

My usual doctor is HCA hospitals. Will I get a vaccine?

HCA hospitals in Houston, Galveston and Ft. Bend areas have received more than 6,000 doses of the vaccine. ABC13 contacted the hospital system, but declined to answer questions about the availability of its vaccines. However, HCA has a website with some information.

I’m going to Legacy Community Health, will I get a vaccine?

Legacy Community Health has received approximately 2,000 doses from the state of Texas. He is currently vaccinating phases 1A and 1B. All the appointments for this week have been filled. However, the Federal Health Clinic has an online portal, so it’s worth checking to see if any appointments are available.

What about CVS and Walgreens?

CVS and Walgreens are currently participating in the vaccination of nursing home residents as part of a federal plan. At this point, they are not giving vaccines to the general public, but you need to keep checking.

Do grocery stores like Kroger, Randalls, and HEB have vaccines?

Kroger, Randalls, and HEB pharmacies have vaccines, but availability is limited.

Currently, each HEB pharmacy in the Houston area has received approximately 100 doses of the vaccine. These were mainly distributed to medical workers. HEB is waiting for more vaccines from the state so that it can distribute them to clients in phase 1B. Customers of pharmacies should check the website for more updates.

I see on the list of eye centers, orthopedists and dermatology offices with doses. Are they available?

Any medical supplier can apply to be a vaccine distributor, including specialist doctors. Since there is no central database, you will need to contact each specialist doctor’s office directly to see if they have any available doses.

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