COVID-19 Vaccine Information

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Everyone 5+ Eligible for Free COVID-19 Vaccination

The Texas Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel recommends vaccination for everyone included in the current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorizations and approvals.

Pfizer Pediatric Vaccine Now Available for Children 5 to 11 Years Old

CDC and Texas DSHS now recommend children 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine.

Providers: See the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Formulations (PDF) infographic for detailed dosing information.

COVID-19 Booster Shot Recommendations

CDC and Texas DSHS now recommend booster shots for people 16 years of age and older.

  • Only the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for people 16 and 17 years of age.
  • The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are available for people 18 years of age and older.

People 18 years of age and older can get a booster of whichever vaccine they choose.

See also the updated additional dose recommendations for the moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Providers: See the COVID-19 Vaccine Additional and Booster Doses (PDF) infographic for detailed dosing information.

Updated CDC Recommendations for mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Preference

CDC now recommends mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) over the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine for all adults. The J&J vaccine remains available. Read CDC's media statement to learn more.

How to Find a Vaccine

There are many ways to get fully vaccinated in Texas—you don’t need health insurance and the vaccine is always free. Please visit or call any of the vaccine resources below.

National Vaccine Finder

Vaccines.gov

Vaccines.gov is the CDC website that helps people find vaccines in their area.

WhatsApp (in Spanish only) – Choose from a menu to find vaccine locations near you, learn how to get free rides and childcare for your vaccine appointment, and find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Local Pharmacies

Check your local pharmacy’s website to see if vaccine appointments or walk-ins are available. See a list of retail pharmacies providing vaccinations.

Mobile Vaccine Program

The state mobile program provides a way for Texas businesses and people who are homebound to schedule free mobile vaccinations.

  • Texas businesses, groups, or civic organizations with five or more individuals who voluntarily choose to be vaccinated can call 844-90-TEXAS (844-908-3927) and select Option 4 to schedule a visit.
  • Texans who are homebound can call 844-90-TEXAS (844-908-3927) and select Option 2 to request a state mobile vaccination team to come to their home.

Find Vaccine by Phone

Get answers to questions or help finding a vaccine near you by phone:

  • Text your ZIP code to find vaccine, childcare, and free rides to clinics to
    • GETVAX (438829) for English
    • VACUNA (822862) for Spanish
  • Call 1-833-832-7067 (toll free) for referral to a local vaccine provider
    • Call center is open Monday–Friday 8:00am⁠–⁠6:00pm, and Saturday 8:00am–5:00pm.
    • Spanish language and other translators are available to help callers.
  • Call the national vaccine finder hotline toll free at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489)

Texas Public Health Vaccine Scheduler

The 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 email or text when and where to get the vaccine. If there’s not a public health 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.

Vaccination Services for People with Disabilities

People with disabilities needing assistance getting vaccinated can contact the Disability Rights Texas Hotline (DRTx Vaccine Hotline) by phone or email, at 1-800-880-8401 or vaccine@DRTx.org.

You can also contact the national Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) at 888-677-1199 or DIAL@n4a.org for vaccine help.

Questions or Concerns About Getting Vaccinated?

It’s okay to have concerns. If you’re hesitant about getting vaccinated, talk to your doctor about your concerns. You can also get credible and accurate COVID-19 vaccine information from the below resources:

Important to Know

FDA Emergency Use Authorizations and Approvals

  • All vaccines available in the U.S. are authorized for people 18 years old and older.
  • The Pfizer pediatric vaccine is authorized for people 5 through 11 years of age.
  • The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people 12 through 15 years of age.
  • The Pfizer vaccine, marketed under the name COMIRNATY, is fully approved by the FDA for people 16 years old and older.
  • A third dose of mRNA vaccine is authorized for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals.

COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations for Immunocompromised People

For people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems, CDC and Texas DSHS recommend full mRNA vaccination, and then additional and booster doses depending on age:

  • People 18 years of age and older should receive three doses of the same mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) with the additional, third dose given 28 days after the initial two. A single booster dose of either Pfizer, Moderna or J&J/Janssen should be given at least 6 months after the additional, third dose.
  • People 12 to 15 years of age who received the initial two doses of Pfizer vaccine should receive an additional dose of Pfizer vaccine at least 28 days after the initial two doses.
  • People 16 and 17 years of age should receive two initial doses of Pfizer vaccine, an additional Pfizer dose 28 days after the initial two doses, and a Pfizer vaccine booster dose at least 6 months after the additional, third Pfizer dose.

Two Doses

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

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.

V-safe: Register with CDC's V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker on your smartphone to report any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. You’ll also get reminders for your second vaccine dose.

Texas Vaccine Rollout Timeline

To date, Texas has opened up vaccine eligibility according to the following timeline:

Texas continues to receive doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, and is distributing statewide to hospitals, pharmacies, local health departments, freestanding ERs, and other clinics.

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Last updated December 17, 2021