Residents Should Prepare for Expected Heavy Rains and Possible Flooding
Harris County Public Health’s COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites will be closed Monday and Tuesday, September 13 and 14 due to Tropical Storm Nicholas. The storm may cause flash flooding and produce tropical force winds early in the week along the Texas Gulf Coast. Harris County officials will track the storm’s progress and decide later if sites will also be closed Tuesday.
Residents are encouraged to be prepared with enough food, water, and emergency supplies to last a few days in case the weather is severe. People also need to prepare their homes by bringing in objects from their yard or balcony that wind or flooding could pick up.
Vaccine and testing sites will reopen as soon it’s safe. Vaccines are free and HCPH vaccine sites are often at capacity. While appointments are not required, they are recommended, go to vacstrac.hctx.net or call 832-927-8787. To find a location near you click here. Parents must accompany their children, ages 12-17, to be vaccinated or children must bring a consent form signed by a parent or guardian. Consent forms are at vacstrac.hctx.net Twelve to 17-year-olds are eligible for the two-dose Pfizer vaccine.
Parents with children under 12 are encouraged to get them tested frequently to see if they have the virus. Adults and children can be infected with COVID-19 without having symptoms but are still contagious. If parents know their children are infected, they can monitor them to make sure they don’t develop serious symptoms and keep them isolated so they don’t infect others. Testing is free at HCPH sites. Appointments are not required, but are recommended because the number of people getting tested has also been increasing, click here to find a site near you or call 832-927-7575.