Patients can receive a COVID vaccine through their scheduled office visits. To make an office visit appointment, call the Patient Appointment Center at 713-526-4243, or request one through
MyHealth.
Parents of existing Harris Health System pediatric patients 5-11 can schedule an appointment for their child to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine. To make an office visit appointment, call 713-873-KIDS (5437), or request one through MyHealth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get COVID-19 From the vaccine?
It is not possible to get COVID-19 from the vaccines. None of the vaccines contain live virus, nor can cause COVID-19. Also, getting the vaccine will not cause you to get a positive test for COVID 19.
How many doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will I need?
Both of the first two vaccines receiving FDA-approval require two doses. An initial vaccination and then a second shot either three or four weeks later. The Pfizer vaccine requires a booster 21 days later and the Moderna vaccine requires a second dose 28 days later. The different vaccine products are not interchangeable. The second dose must be completed with the same vaccine brand as the first dose. Both doses are important to ensure full protection.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe?
The safety and efficacy of the vaccines was thoroughly reviewed by panels of independent experts retained by the manufacturing companies; by FDA scientific staff; and by an independent panel of experts convened by the FDA. There are no reported serious safety concerns from these two vaccines.
The CDC and the FDA continue to monitor individuals who have received the vaccine to ensure there’s no evidence of even rare safety issues.
Please keep in mind that COVID-19 can be a fatal or debilitating disease, even in young, healthy people. The risks from contracting the virus are far greater than the possible small risks from receiving the vaccine.
Will it keep me from getting COVID-19?
Current data shows that both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 95% effective in preventing the person from getting COVID-19.
How long will it take for the vaccine to begin protecting me?
It normally takes about 10 days for immunity to begin to develop and a fuller immune response develops only after the second dose. During this period, it remains critically important to continue adhering to prevention measures like wearing a mask, practicing good hand hygiene and continued social distancing.
Should individuals who previously tested positive for COVID-19 receive the vaccine?
Persons diagnosed with COVID in the past 90 days should be moved to the bottom of the priority list, but eventually should be vaccinated.
How can recipients of the vaccine report side effects or adverse events related to the vaccine?
The CDC has established a smartphone check-in system for monitoring and reporting side effects. The system is called V-safe. V-safe uses text messaging and web surveys to check in with vaccine recipients for health problems following COVID-19 vaccination. Once you get a vaccine dose, one of our vaccinators will assist in enrolling. There will be a QR Code to facilitate enrollment. V-safe also will provide second-dose reminders and live telephone follow up by CDC if vaccinated individuals report a medically significant event during a V-safe check-in.