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COVID-19 VACCINE INFORMATION AND ONLINE REGISTRATION

A syringe inside a bottle

COVID-19 VACCINE REGISTRATION LINKS:

(To check for vaccine availability click each of the following links and please

only register with ONE of the providers)

 

Walk-ins for COVID-19 vaccine are available at the Medina County Health Unit Monday-Thursday, 7:30am-11am and 1pm-5:30pm.

Health Unit - Check for availability

Medina Regional Hospital - Check for availability

HEB - Check appointment availability

Walmart - Check for availability in Castroville, Devine or Hondo 

VACCINE ALLOCATION UPDATE:  September 13, 2021

COVID-19 vaccines are available at the Medina County Health Unit Monday through Thursday, we will be vaccinating from 7:30am-11:30am and 1:00pm-5:30pm on those days, walk-ins welcome. We are still waiting on guidance for Booster doses and as information becomes available, we will let you know. Those who are immunocompromised can get an additional dose of mRNA vaccine, Moderna, or Pfizer at least 28 days after completion of a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series.  It is recommended to stick with the same vaccine but if it is unavailable then a provider can give either. However, you should be able to find the vaccine you want at this time as there is no shortage of vaccines. The Health Unit encourages everyone age 12 and older to get vaccinated, it is the best way to avoid severe illness, hospitalization, and death. For those that waited for full authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer has been approved for age 16 and older. This hasn’t seemed to make much of a difference. For many, if it hasn’t hit close enough to home, it may not feel real. Better to be vaccinated than to wait it out, transmission of COVID-19 is too high right now to risk it. It takes time for the vaccine to work. If you have been exposed and you likely will be, getting a vaccine when you may become sick is not the time to do it.  Come see us and get vaccinated as soon as you can. 

COVID-19 vaccines are available at the Medina County Health Unit. Booster doses are not yet available and we are awaiting information on who will be eligible for boosters and when. Those who are immunocompromised and can get an additional dose now:

  • Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
  • Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Talk to your healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate at this time.

COVID-19 Vaccine for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People:
 

COVID-19 vaccine available: the two-dose Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 and older and the two-dose Moderna vaccine for ages 18 and older. The Health Unit is currently out of Johnson & Johnson.

DATA UPDATE: 

Texas has a current rate of 58.93% of people that are fully vaccinated age 12 and older. Medina County currently has 52.55% fully vaccinated.  

Texas Vaccine Availability Map  (this map can filter a specific vaccine to locate doses)

Medina County COVID-19 Vaccine Data as of 09/13/2021

People 12 years of age and older in our county who could get vaccinated: 44,092

Estimated coverage: (Percentage of people 12 years of age who are fully vaccinated) 52.55%

DSHS COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Texas Vaccine Data Dashboard

COVID-19 Vaccination Hub Providers   

Everyone 12+ Eligible for Free COVID-19 Vaccination

 

The state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel recommends vaccination for everyone who falls under the current Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorizations:

  • All vaccines available in the U.S. are authorized for people 18 years old and older.
  • The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people 12 years old and older.

Important to Know:

 

Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines both require two doses. It’s best if you get your second dose from the same brand as your first dose. For example, if you got a Moderna first dose, it’s best to get Moderna for your second dose.

The timing between your first and second dose depends on which vaccine you received:

  • Moderna: 4 to 6 weeks after your first dose
  • Pfizer: 3 to 6 weeks after your first dose

Note: The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose.

If you got a Moderna first dose, it's best to get the Moderna second dose 4-6 weeks after your first dose. If you got a Pfizer first dose, it's best to get the Pfizer second dose 3-6 weeks after your first dose.

 

Side Effects & Allergic Reactions:

Allergic Reactions:

 

Mild side effects are normal signs your body is building protection, and they usually go away after a few days. Severe reactions from the vaccine are rare. To be safe, your provider will have you wait on-site for 15-30 minutes after your shot. There's no evidence that the vaccines cause long-term health problems.

People who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their healthcare provider.

 

COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People

People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised make up about 3% of the adult population and are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they are more at risk of serious, prolonged illness. CDC recommends that people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems receive an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 28 days after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Website CDC Coronavirus

Who Needs an Additional COVID-19 Vaccine?

Currently, CDC is recommending that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. This includes people who have:

  • Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
  • Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

 

People should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition, and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

How long after getting my initial COVID-19 vaccines can I get an additional dose?

CDC recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least four weeks after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Can you mix and match the vaccines?

For people who received either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine series, a third dose of the same mRNA vaccine should be used. A person should not receive more than three mRNA vaccine doses. If the mRNA vaccine product given for the first two doses is not available or is unknown, either mRNA COVID-19 vaccine product may be administered.

What should immunocompromised people who received the J&J/Janssen vaccine do?

The FDA’s recent EUA amendment only applies to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, as does CDC’s recommendation.

Emerging data have demonstrated that immunocompromised people who have low or no protection following two doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may have an improved response after an additional dose of the same vaccine. There is not enough data at this time to determine whether immunocompromised people who received the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine also have an improved antibody response following an additional dose of the same vaccine.

What are the benefits of people receiving an additional vaccine dose?

CDC recommends the additional dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine be administered at least four weeks (28 days) after a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

What are the risks of vaccinating individuals with an additional dose?

There is limited information about the risks of receiving an additional dose of vaccine, and the safety, efficacy, and benefit of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine in immunocompromised people continues to be evaluated. So far, reactions reported after the third mRNA dose were similar to that of the two-dose series: fatigue and pain at injection site were the most commonly reported side effects, and overall, most symptoms were mild to moderate.

However, as with the two-dose series, serious side effects are rare, but may occur.