The city temporarily closed its senior waiting list for a COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, after more than 70,000 people called to apply, and will focus its latest 9,000 dose load on the most vulnerable.
This means that the Houston Department of Health did not open new appointments on Friday, as it did in recent weeks.
Instead, he will direct about 5,300 doses to the waiting list, which is operated by the Harris County Area Agency on Aging. Another 2,400 will go to providers in vulnerable communities and 1,300 are reserved for previously scheduled appointments, the department announced.
“We know that it is important to vaccinate the most vulnerable people and they should be among the first to get vaccines, especially when supplies are scarce,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “The Houston Department of Health’s distribution plan for the coming week focuses on those most at risk of illness and death and people living in vulnerable communities.”
The doses aimed at vulnerable communities will go to Walgreens’ locations on Wallisville Road and Airline Drive, along with Hope Clinic and Ibn Sina, who will offer the injections to their existing clients, according to the Department of Health.
Livier Silva, a medical assistant, signals the thumb to a driver who received a dose of the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine at the facility located at Delmar Stadium on Friday, January 29, 2021, in Houston. The site is operated in partnership between the city and the United Memorial Medical Center.
Godofredo A. Vásquez, photographer for the Houston Chronicle / StaffCity officials also said they are working to schedule the second dose for those who have already received the first injection. Next week, she plans to schedule injections for people who received their first dose on December 31, January 4 or January 5 at the George R. Brown Convention Center; other Health Department clinics between January 3 and 8; and at Minute Maid Park on January 9.
More information about the program is available on the city website.
Many residents are anxious about these commitments as the 28-day window approaches and they have no news of the city. Health officials are asking residents not to ask about these consultations, unless they are within 48 hours of the 28-day window and have not heard anything.
The city cited a new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that says the second dose should be administered as close as possible to 28 days after the first injection, but can be administered up to 42 days later.
Still, officials said people should receive their second doses in time.
“We anticipate that the second dose will be offered within the 28-day window,” said Scott Packard, director of communications for the health department.
On Friday morning, the city gave 34,503 doses of Moderna. About 10,000 of them were distributed on a Minute Maid Park mega site that the city launched on two Saturdays and has since been disabled.
It is now offering injections at the Bayou City Event Center, Delmar Stadium, the convention center and its Northside health centers, La Nueva Casa de Amigos, Sharpstown and Sunnyside, along with JW Peavy Senior Center and Acres Homes, Hiram Clarke, and Magnolia multi-service centers.
Appointments are required for all vaccines and there are no new vacancies available at this time.
Residents can register to receive notifications about new appointments by subscribing to the HoustonRecovers option at AlertHouston. The city said it will contact and screen people who left messages to enter the waiting list of the Area Agency on Aging in the coming days. He emphasized that people don’t have to call back.
Harris County’s separate waiting list for the vaccine is available on its website. The site had technical problems when it launched on Tuesday, but more than 165,000 people already signed up.
Anyone can join the waiting list, although vaccines are now limited to some frontline employees, people aged 65 and over, and those with certain health conditions.
This includes cancer; chronic kidney disease; COPD; heard conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies; solid organ transplantation; obesity; pregnancy; sickle cell disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.