The Houston Department of Health receives an additional 9,000 doses of vaccine; book new appointments within minutes

HOUSTON The Houston Department of Health said 1,600 new appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine were booked within five minutes on Friday afternoon. The department said they received another 9,000 doses of the vaccine on Friday.

The new appointments were for the department’s new driveway at Delmar Stadium, which is run by United Memorial Medical Center, which opens Monday.

Officials said people arriving without confirmed appointments would be turned away.

The department also plans to transfer 800 doses to other providers, vaccinate about 900 people who were rejected last Minute Maid Park, and honor existing appointments to Bayou City Event Center, its health centers and multi-service centers.

FULL COVERAGE: Follow the latest vaccine news in our special section

‘We are pleased to operate two mass vaccination sites next week, one in the north of the city and another on the south side. These two locations make the vaccine more accessible to all, which complements the health department’s health centers and multi-service centers, ”said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “As we receive more vaccine, we will expand partnerships with pharmacies and federally qualified health centers to ensure the vaccine is available in the most vulnerable communities and deploy mobile strike teams, if necessary.”

The department plans to announce new appointments weekly based on supply.

People can learn about new appointments through email, text messages, voice calls or mobile notifications through sign ups by registering for the HoustonRecovers subscription on AlertHouston at AlertHouston.org

Appointments are based on the availability of vaccines and can be adjusted based on the department’s offer.

On January 21, the department administered a total of 29,751 doses of vaccine.

People who have received their first dose of vaccine through the health department will be contacted about the schedule of their second dose before the recommended deadline. Check your voicemail, text messages, and emails regularly for information.

The department is currently supplying the Moderna vaccine. The second dose of Moderna is recommended 28 days after the first dose.

Updated CDC guidelines state: ‘the second dose should be administered as close to the recommended interval as possible. However, if the recommended interval is not possible, the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may be scheduled for administration up to 6 weeks (42 days) after the first dose. If the second dose is administered outside these intervals, it is not necessary to restart the series. ”

If contact information has changed since a person received the first dose from the Department of Health, you should notify the COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220.

“We understand the concern about the second dose and appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to work together to achieve the greatest mass vaccination effort ever,” said Stephen L. Williams, director of the Department of Health. “Rest assured that if you are vaccinated by the Houston Department of Health, we will contact you in a timely manner to plan your second dose.”

Even when vaccinated, everyone should still take precautions such as hiding themselves, doing social distance, washing hands and being tested to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as people are vaccinated and we learn more about immunity which yields the vaccines.

“Encourage your family and community to ‘Take your best chances’ as the vaccine becomes more available,” Williams said.

Visit the vaccination page of HoustonEmergency.org/covid19 for the latest information on COVID-19 vaccinations by the Houston Department of Health.