Get Vaccinated for Free and Safely Gather with Loved Ones This Holiday Season
Inflation and supply chain issues this year are likely to make our favorite holiday foods more expensive and harder to find, but thankfully COVID-19 vaccines are here, abundant, and free at Harris County Public Health (HCPH) sites. What a difference a year makes!
Last Thanksgiving there was no vaccine and COVID-19 was spreading rapidly. For the entire holiday season shopping, plane travel and family gatherings were high risk for contracting the virus. Now everyone, age 5 and older, can and should be vaccinated. If you haven’t been fully vaccinated yet, it’s not too late to protect yourself, friends, and family so you can safely enjoy your holiday celebrations:
- Children 5-11 can now be vaccinated with consent of their parent or guardian. They receive 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 21 days apart. Both doses are one-third of an adult dose. Vaccine for this age group comes in a bottle with an orange cap and a label with an orange border to distinguish it from the adult dose, which is in a purple bottle.
- Children 12-17 can receive two adult doses of the Pfizer vaccine 21 days apart, with consent of their parent or guardian.
For individuals who received a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or more after their primary series:
- 65 years and older
- Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
- Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings
Note: The Moderna COVID-19 booster dose is half of the dose that is administered for the primary series dose.
For individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are also recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago. All three vaccines are very effective at preventing severe cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations.
Vaccines are free at HCPH vaccine sites, and 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 5-17 to be vaccinated, or children must bring a consent form signed by a parent or guardian. Consent forms are at vacstrac.hctx.net.
Parents can help keep their children safe who are 4 or younger and cannot be vaccinated, by getting them tested frequently. Testing is free at HCPH sites. Appointments are not required, but are recommended, click here to find a site near you or call 832-927-7575 for locations and appointments.
