Houston plans to offer self-registration for a second dose of vaccine soon

HOUSTON – People who are expecting a second dose of the coronavirus vaccine will be able to arrange this period themselves.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday that the city’s Department of Health has received nearly 42,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine with nearly 34,000 given. He said about 18,600 second doses were received with 2,300 of those given. He said nearly 12,000 people have been prescribed a second dose this week.

Turner said the Houston Department of Health is currently contacting people directly to schedule their second dose. He said people should give the Department of Health at least 48 hours before their second dose before contacting the city’s call center to ask about ordering.

Stephen Williams, director of the Department of Health, said a link would soon be announced that would allow people to be able to register for a second dose themselves.

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Dr David Persse, the city’s chief medical officer, reminded people that the proposed 28 days are not a hard and fast rule. However, he said a second dose is necessary to reap the full benefits of the vaccine.

“The purpose of the second dose is to drive home the immunity within your system and, of course, give you those B-cells and T-memory cells that give long-term protection. time for you, ”said Persse.

Turner said the city is planning more community-based vaccination clinics to ensure the views are evenly distributed.

A partnership with Hope Clinic in Alief resulted in 500 people receiving their first dose over the weekend, Turner said. He said another clinic is planned somewhere in the northeast Houston area soon, but details are yet to be finalized.

“It’s just closer to getting people to it,” Turner said. “We need to realize that there are many people who are being challenged by transport. ”

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Williams said that while the small efforts are important for equality in the distribution, mass-vaccination clinics remain crucial to the overall distribution strategy.

“They’re great for seeing large numbers of people, and we have to maintain those sites because if we don’t vaccinate large numbers of people, we’ll lose access to the vaccine,” Williams said. “At the same time, we need to make sure that some communities are not locked out of that system.”

Persse said both hospitalization and preferential rates have gone down and there could even be a few reductions. He said people should keep the guard up and monitor all coronavirus instructions that health officials promote: wash your hands, wear a mask, keep your distance from others and get tested.

You can watch a replay of Turner’s press conference below:

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