Following the arrival of additional COVID-19 vaccines from the state, Harris County Public Health (HCPH) is now in the process of administering doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to eligible Phase 1a individuals. On December 23rd, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) delivered 3,000 doses to HCPH to support county efforts to vaccinate eligible recipients who may not already be served by the first round of the Pfizer vaccine. As part of this process, HCPH has been working to notify local partners who support eligible Phase 1a individuals and is already providing vaccinations to healthcare staff.
Phase 1a individuals consist of healthcare workers, staff and residents at long-term healthcare facilities who are at high risk of developing complications from COVID-19, followed by first responders. At this time, COVID-19 vaccines are only being provided by HCPH to individuals in phase 1a through HCPH’s contacts with relevant groups and institutions. As additional vaccines become available and additional groups are cleared to receive the vaccine HCPH will promptly notify those groups and provide information to the general public, when relevant, on how to get vaccinated.
Media interested in covering HCPH work to vaccinate frontline healthcare workers can call our media hotline at 713-439-6911 to make arrangements. Please note that only one TV Pool camera and one still photographer will be allowed to cover ongoing vaccinations. Because vaccines are not yet available to the public and to protect patient privacy, HCPH will not disclose vaccination locations at this time.
About the Moderna Vaccine
The FDA has authorized the emergency use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older under an Emergency Use Authorization. The Moderna vaccine being administered by HCPH requires a second dose from the same manufacturer four weeks after getting the first one. The vaccine is fully effective to 1?2 weeks after getting the second dose.
Key facts about the vaccine:
● Receiving the vaccine is voluntary
● You cannot contract COVID-19 from the vaccines offered in the U.S. because neither contain live virus that causes COVID-19
● Having symptoms like low-grade fever, soreness in the arm after getting a vaccine is normal. However, individuals should not develop COVID-19 symptoms such as loss of taste/smell, coughing, and shortness of breath. If they develop these symptoms, they should get a COVID-19 test to ensure they don’t have the virus.
● Those who receive a vaccine should continue to wash hands frequently, socially distance themselves from others who don’t live in their household, wear a facemask and get tested anytime they feel they have been exposed. Testing is free at all HCPH sites.
HCPH continues to urge members of the general public to cancel all gatherings and to get tested. County testing sites continue to remain open and are providing free testing with no insurance required. To sign up, visit ReadyHarris.org.
For additional information about the vaccine and continued updates, please visit hcphtx.org.