Houston’s first public vaccination clinic COVID-19, overwhelmed by calls on opening day

HOUSTON The Houston Department of Health opens the city’s first public COVID-19 vaccination site on Saturday.

“We work effectively to be eligible for frontline employees and vulnerable Houstoniers,” Mayor Turner said. ‘The virus has taken a toll, especially among the elderly and black and colored communities. The vaccine is our best chance to prevent people from getting sick and possibly suffering serious consequences. ”

The Houston Department of Health said Saturday morning that the public response was overwhelming. The COVID-19 call center is overwhelmed by those who want to plan vaccinations. The call center, which handles COVID-19 vaccination scheduling, COVID-19 test scheduling and also announces COVID-19 test results, experienced technical difficulties due to the high call volume.

While the department is getting its call center up and running again, it was registered on site on Saturday.

Those who meet the Phase 1A or Phase 2B vaccination criteria and want to be vaccinated are asked to proceed to the Bayou City Event Center, located at 9401 Knight Rd, where they will get an appointment.

Capacity is limited to 750 appointments.

The department said its call center would reopen once the technical issues were resolved.

How the clinic works:

COMMENT: The Houston Department of Health is temporarily revising how it plans its vaccination appointments due to technical issues the COVID-19 call center is experiencing. Consult the information above if you plan to institute a vaccination on Saturday.

To make an appointment to receive the Moderna vaccine, call the city’s COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Each person is given a place and time to be vaccinated. According to a press release, the health department will examine people once they enter the clinic area, lead them to a safe area to receive the vaccination and monitor it for 15 minutes.

Who is eligible to receive the vaccine at the clinic?

According to Phase 1B’s Texas distribution plan, people 65 years and older and people 16 years and older, who have at least one chronic medical condition, will be given priority.

According to the release, the Modern COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for people 18 years and older in the U.S. population under FDA emergency clearance. Per CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. ”

Medical conditions include: cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, solid organ transplantation, obesity and severe obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease and type 2 diabetes.

The release also stated that frontline health workers are eligible for vaccination as part of the Phase 1A distribution that began in mid-December.

The Houston Department of Health will announce additional free vaccination opportunities as supply increases.

According to the release, people who qualify must contact their medical provider or use the Texas Department of State Health Services online map to find and call vaccination providers.

Click here for more information on COVID-19 vaccines.