Who's Eligible to Get the Vaccine?

Everyone age 5 and older is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas.

The state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel recommended opening vaccination to everyone who falls under the current Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorizations. All vaccines are authorized for people age 18 and older. The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people 5 and older.

* Visit the Texas Department of State Health Services at http://www.dshs.texas.gov for more information about COVID-19 vaccine availability in Texas.

Booster Shots Approved for Everyone Age 12 and Older

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that three COVID-19 vaccines are authorized or approved for use in the United States to prevent COVID-19. Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (COVID-19 mRNA vaccines) are preferred. You may get Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.

The Pfizer-BioNTech booster is approved for people ages 12 and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster is approved for people ages 18 and older. 

For more information on booster shots, click here.

Free N95 Masks and At-Home COVID-19 Tests

N95 Masks
The White House has announced that 400 million free N95 masks will be distributed beginning the week of Jan. 24. Each person is allotted up to three masks. The masks are being distributed through pharmacies that are a part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. For a list of pharmacies participating in the program, click here and scroll down to Texas.

At-Home COVID Tests
Every home in the United States is eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. To order tests, visit www.covidtests.gov.

COVID-19 Vaccination Information

Disability Rights Texas Vaccine Hotline

Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) is assisting Texans with disabilities who are interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. It can also provide more information about the vaccine from reliable sources. DRTx has vaccine access navigators who are specially trained to help Texans get vaccinated against COVID-19. 

For help, call the DRTx Vaccine Hotline for People with Disabilities at 1-800-880-8401 or e-mail vaccine@DRTx.org.

Hotline hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The hotline is for vaccine access issues only. For other disability rights issues, call DRTx's main line at 1-800-252-9108.

Mobile Vaccine Team Call Center

The State of Texas’ Mobile Vaccination Team Call Center has been launched to help more Texans receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Texans can call 844-90-TEXAS and select one of the following options:

• Option 1: Homebound Texans can request a state mobile vaccination team visit their home.
• Option 2: Information about where to go to receive a vaccine near you.
• Option 3: Texas businesses or civic organizations can schedule a visit from a state mobile vaccine team. To qualify for a visit, a business or civic organization must have 10 or more employees, visitors or members who voluntarily choose to be vaccinated. 

For more information, click here.

Dallas County Vaccine Scheduler

Dallas County is now offering vaccines at its Fair Park Community Vaccination Center with no appointment needed, although scheduling your shot in advance will speed up the process. Dallas County residents can to go here to register and make an appointment for their vaccine. Individuals may also call 1-888-IMMUNE9 (855-466-8639) for an appointment. If individuals have previously registered on the DCHHS waitlist but have not yet been contacted, it is possible information was incorrectly captured and they should re-register for a same-day or next-day appointment. Dallas County is currently administering the Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, and Pfizer vaccines at Fair Park. For the vaccine calendar and daily operating hours, click here.

Vaccine Appointments in Collin County

Collin County announced March 11 that the Collin County COVID-19 vaccine waitlist was closed and would not be reopened and that the county would no longer facilitate COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Each vaccine hub in Collin County now offers vaccines using its own methods. Click here to find out more about hubs in Collin County and their vaccine registration procedures. 

Collin County Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Teams

Collin County Health Care Services is offering no cost COVID-19 vaccinations via its Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Teams. The services are only available via request/appointment and in accordance with staff availability. The vaccine teams will focus on traveling to homebound individuals, long-term care facilities, businesses that would like to get its employees vaccinated, organizations, clubs and special events.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, e-mail covid19vaccine@co.collin.tx.us or call 214-491-4821.

Other Vaccine Registration Websites

• Baylor Scott & White
  
  
• City of Garland (no appointment required)
  
  
• UT Southwestern
  

COVID-19 Vaccinations at Pharmacies

Pharmacies across the state of Texas are administering COVID-19 vaccines as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination program.

 
Participating pharmacies will screen individuals to determine if they are eligible to receive the vaccine. Individuals who are eligible for vaccination and are interested in getting vaccinated at their local pharmacy should call or check the pharmacy’s website to find out if vaccine is available.

In Texas, the pharmacies that are participating include:

• Albertsons Companies (including Tom Thumb and Randalls)
  
  
• Costco
  
  
• CPESN USA
  
  
• CVS Pharmacy
  
  
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation’s pharmacy services administrative organization (PSAO), Elevate Provider  
  
  
• Health Mart Pharmacies
  
  
• H-E-B
  
  
• LeaderNET and The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, Cardinal Health’s PSAOs
  
  
• Kroger
  
  
• Topco Associates (including Brookshire's Pharmacy and FRESH by Brookshire's Pharmacy)
  
  
• Walgreens
  
  
• Walmart
  

COVID-19 vaccines at local doctor's offices
Residents who are looking to get vaccinated are encouraged to check with their primary care physician as some doctors may receive doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Texas Public Health Vaccine Scheduler

The new Texas Vaccine Scheduler helps Texans get scheduled for a COVID-19 vaccine at clinics hosted by participating Texas public health entities.

Register online at GetTheVaccine.dshs.texas.gov. You will be notified by e-mail or text when and where to get the vaccine. If there’s not an available clinic near you, you will be directed to other places to get your vaccine.

Call 833-832-7067 if you don’t have internet or need help signing up. Call center support is available 7 a.m.-7 p.m., seven days a week.

Spanish language and other translators are available to help callers.

Tips for Your Vaccine Search

When searching for a vaccination site, remember:

• While vaccine supply and distribution are expanding, not all local providers have vaccine each week and hubs may have waiting lists.
• Do not show up at a hub or provider looking for a vaccine.
• Instead, check the provider’s website. Call only if the website doesn’t answer your questions.

Regional Infusion Center Open in McKinney

A Regional Infusion Center to help treat COVID-19 patients is now open in McKinney.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management, in partnership with Baylor Scott & White Health, Collin College, and Collin County, has provided the infusion center as an additional resource for treating patients with COVID-19 in North Texas.

The state-supported infusion center  is located at Collin College’s McKinney Campus Conference Center, 2400 Community Avenue. The patient entrance is located on the northwest side of the conference building.

The facility is open 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Medical professionals will be able to administer a monoclonal antibody treatment to up to approximately 60 patients per day. Patients will be monitored after the infusion before being sent home to recuperate. The infusions are meant for COVID-19 patients who are not yet hospitalized or on oxygen supplements. The treatment is available at no cost to patients.

Patients are eligible for the medication when: 

• Patient must NOT be hospitalized or require oxygen therapy.
• Patient must NOT require an increase in oxygen rate due to COVID-19 if using for underlying comorbidity.
• Patient MUST be within 10 days of symptom onset. 

Patients can contact the infusion center by calling 972-548-6674. Doctors can contact the infusion center by e-mailing infusion@collin.edu. For more information, click here.