The lack of a state distribution plan or a phone number to call people to make appointments has created many questions. ABC13 has analyzed the data to answer some of your questions below. The full Texas DSHS COVID-19 vaccine link can be found on the status control panel.
Who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccines right now?
According to the state of Texas, the distribution of vaccines has been broken down into phases. Phase 1A includes medical workers and those living in residences, and Phase 1B includes anyone who is 65 or older or 16 years of age or older with a chronic illness such as cancer, COPD, heart disease, organ transplantation, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cells. disease and type 2 diabetes.
I meet the requirements for the vaccine. Can I get it now?
Possibly. There are not enough doses for everyone who meets the requirements. In general, patients with established relationships with large hospital chains have access to vaccines more quickly.
How can I try the vaccine?
He The city of Houston now has an online system for booking appointments, but only for those in Phase 1A and 1B groups: first responders and those over 65 or with classification conditions.
If you do not meet these requirements, do not book an appointment at this time. Appointments are added as the Houston City Department of Health receives more doses, so check back often.
If you have private health insurance, officials recommend that you check with your personal physician first to see if they are related to a major hospital chain or if they have requested doses from the state.
If you use a hospital system, such as Memorial Hermann or Houston Methodist, for your primary care, call the office and make sure you are registered with your most recent email and contact information. You will be notified when you meet the requirements. Also, call your pharmacy if you use them regularly and make sure you ask to be registered or have them available. You can also check with the emergency care facilities near your home to see if they are online for vaccinations.
Is there a list of places with vaccines?
ABC13 has maintained the state database of all facilities that received vaccines in Harris, Fort Bend and Galveston counties. You can find the embedded list here. You can search and try to call any of the providers. Some may have doses.
I called around. No one has a vaccine for my elderly parents. What do I do?
You should continue to consult your local pharmacy and clinics in your area. More vaccines are delivered every day.
For example, the Galveston County Health District announced Tuesday that it will offer the Modern COVID-19 vaccine to those who are 65 or older by appointment only. The COVID-19 telephone bank will open on Wednesday at 9 p.m. You can call 409-547-4015 to make an appointment.
The health district said it received an additional 400 doses of vaccine. But appointments are necessary due to limited supply.
More shipments are expected in the coming weeks. The health district also plans to expand who is eligible to receive the vaccine as more doses become available. You can learn more by visiting the Galveston County website.
State health officials estimate that most jeans will take a few months to locate vaccination doses.
Every time I call a location, they tell me that first they only take established patients. Is this allowed?
Texas State guidelines focus on categories of people to whom vaccines should be prioritized. However, it has left the actual distribution of vaccines to each provider. Therefore, each hospital and each physician clinic can create their own criteria for distributing vaccines. Because there are not enough vaccines for everyone, almost all hospitals and medical offices vaccinate their established patients first. ABC13 has asked state officials to clarify this issue.
My regular doctor is with Houston Methodist. Will I have a vaccine?
This week, the Methodist began notifying established patients who were 75 years of age or older for the vaccine strips. The hospital system says it will begin reporting qualified patients 65 years or older along with those with chronic illnesses in the next week or two. To date, Methodist hospitals have received about 40,000 doses, one of the largest in our region.
My regular doctor is at the Hermann Memorial. Will I have a vaccine?
Hermann Memorial began notifying Phase 1B patients with relationships established on Monday, December 28th. Check your emails. If you didn’t receive an email to schedule it, you may want to call your doctor’s office to make sure you’re on the list. The hospital has received about 50,000 doses, most of any hospital system in our region.
My regular doctor is with Kelsey Seybold. Will I have a vaccine?
So far Kelsey-Seybold has received 4,600 doses. It is currently vaccinating in phase 1A and vaccination in phase 1B has begun. Kelsey-Seybold says she is proactively targeting patients who meet the requirements
My regular doctor is at Baylor College of Medicine. Will I have a vaccine?
Baylor College of Medicine received 4,000 doses of the Modern vaccine on Monday, December 28 and began vaccinations on Tuesday, December 29. Check the MyChart links and contact your doctor if you have any questions.
My regular doctor is at UT Health. Will I have a vaccine?
As of Dec. 30, UT doctors only vaccinated front-line employees in Phase 1A. There is still no timetable for phase 1B patients to receive the vaccine.
My regular doctor is HCA Hospitals. Will I have a vaccine?
HCA Hospitals in Houston, Galveston and Ft. The Bend regions received more than 6,000 doses of the vaccine. ABC13 contacted the hospital system, but declined to answer questions about its vaccine availability. Still, HCA has a website with 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. It currently vaccinates phases 1A and 1B. All appointments this week have been covered. However, the federally qualified health clinic has an online portal, so it’s worth checking for appointments available.
What about CVS and Walgreens?
CVS and Walgreens are currently involved in vaccinating residents of nursing homes as part of a federal plan. At this time, they do not administer vaccines to the general public, but you should continue to check them.
Do grocery stores like Kroger, Randalls and HEB have vaccines?
Kroger, Randalls and HEB pharmacies have vaccines, but availability is limited.
Currently, every HEB pharmacy in the Houston area has received approximately 100 doses of the vaccine. These have been distributed mostly to medical workers. HEB expects more vaccines from the state so that it can distribute them to Phase 1B customers. Pharmacy customers should check the website for more updates.
I see on the list ophthalmology centers, orthopedic doctors and dermatology offices with doses. Are they available?
Any medical provider could apply to be a vaccine distributor, including specialist doctors. As there is no central state database, you should contact the office of each specialist doctor directly to see if they have doses available.
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