When and where Texans can get the COVID-19 vaccine
Short supplies and erratic delivery are causing long waits for inoculations. We update this guide daily to tell you what you need to know:
Who can get it now?
Group 1A: Includes health care workers in hospital settings working directly with COVID-19 or high-risk patients, long-term care staff and residents, EMS providers and home health care workers.
Group 1B: A far larger group — anyone 65 or older, pregnant women and anyone 16 or older with a pre-existing condition. These include cancer, heart issues such as heart failure or coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, solid organ transplant, obesity or severe obesity, sickle cell disease or Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Group 1C: Texans 50 to 64 years old became eligible Monday.
School, child care staff: Teachers, staff and bus drivers for pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, as well as Head Start and Early Head Start programs, and those who work for licensed child care providers, including center-based and family care providers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is requiring retail pharmacies to “set aside all currently unbooked vaccination slots” through March 31 for those in this category.
President Joe Biden has directed all states to make every adult eligible for the vaccine by May 1.
If I qualify, where can I get it?
You can make an appointment with a pharmacy, hospital, clinic or other provider but will face delays. The city offers text alerts about opportunities to get appointments with public providers — to sign up, text Vaccine or, for alerts in Spanish, Vacuna to 55000.
Providers also are listed on a map on the Texas Department of State Health Services vaccine information page at bit.ly/2jvpru3. Scroll down to “Where to Get Vaccinated” and click on “Large Vaccination Hubs” or “Vaccine Availability Map.” Call ahead to make sure a provider has doses of vaccine.
VIA Metropolitan Transit offers free rides to and from an appointment at a city- or county-sponsored COVID-19 vaccination site. Check Viainfo.net for the latest service updates.
Here’s where some major providers stand now:
City: All first-dose Pfizer vaccine appointments that Metropolitan Health District offered online have been taken. Check covid19.sanantonio.gov/services/vaccination-forcovid-19 in case openings become available due to cancellations. Appointments still available through 311, option 8, but those are only open to seniors or residents without internet access. Community health workers in the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods also are signing up people. More information is at bit.ly/35e0u7y.
University Health: Registration is ongoing, with notification weekly if enough doses are available to confirm appointments. Updates will be on the system’s Go Mobile app, which sends notifications when new appointments open up, and its newsletter, available at Health focussa.net .Orgoto wecan doitsa.com or call 210-6441960 for information.
Wellmed: The phone hotline, 833-968-1745, will remain open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until appointments are filled. The shots are given at the Cisneros Senior Community Activity Center and the Treviño López Senior One-stop Center. Appointments required, no walk-ins. Visit wellmedhealthcare.com/vaccine or Wellmed’s Facebook page for updates.
Schertz: The city of Schertz is a registered COVID-19 vaccine provider. If the city’s waiting list for appointments is open, you can sign up at schertz.com/ 2027/Vaccine-waitlist. You do not have to be a Schertz resident. Go to Schertz.com/ Alerts to get Civicready alerts — that tool will send notifications when the wait list reopens.
Centromed: Registration will reopen once more vaccines are received. A link to sign up for an appointment will be available at centromedsa.com/ cv19vax/.
Christus Santa Rosa Health System: Has an appointment system for some clinics and outpatient care sites. Use the online chat function found at
vaccinate.christushealth.org to be screened for eligibility. If the chat function does not appear, no appointments are available.
Communicare Health Centers: Will contact current patients eligible to schedule appointments while supply lasts.
Methodist Healthcare: Vaccinating its employees, providers and transplant patients, along with health care workers in the community. For information, call 210-575-0580 or visit exne.ws/sahealth.
San Antonio Military Health System: Brooke Army Medical Center is booking appointments and giving vaccines to high-risk beneficiaries 16 to 64 years old at Fort Sam Houston. BAMC will contact eligible patients. BAMC also continues to vaccinate beneficiaries 65 and older. Appointments are limited and booked only as vaccine supply is confirmed, available online at tricareonline.com or by calling the Consult Appointment Management Office at 210-916-9900 or
800-443-2262, option 8, from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Military personnel in groups 1A or 1B should schedule vaccine appointments through their unit’s chain of command. BAMC’S vaccine site is on the main post of Fort Sam Houston in the Training Support Center, Building 4110 at 2536 Garden Ave. The Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center site is located in Building 4554, 1100 Wilford Hall Loop, on Joint Base San Antonio-lackland with check-in at the “C-wing” entrance. Updates at bamc.tricare.mil and through social media.
South Texas Veterans Health Care System: The VA will call veterans to schedule vaccine appointments as supply allows. Updates will be posted at southtexas.va.gov or facebook.com/sanantonio VAMC.
UT Health San Antonio: Scheduling anyone who falls in groups 1A, 1B and 1C. Register and check availability of firstd ose vaccine appointments at schedule.utmedicinesa.com.
CVS: Vaccines offered at 180 locations around the state, including sites in San Antonio, Balcones Heights, Cibolo, Schertz, Universal City and New Braunfels. Check availability at Cvs.com or through the CVS Pharmacy mobile app; registration is required. Those without online access can call CVS customer service at 800-746-7287. Appointments required; no walk-ins accepted.
H-E-B: Check availability at vaccine.heb.com. Customers due for second doses will be contacted directly.
Walgreens: Check availability at Walgreens.com/ Schedulevaccine. No walk-ins accepted. Also has been vaccinating residents and staff of long-term care facilities. Check exne.ws/wal for updates.
Walmart, Sam’s Club: Vaccines are being offered at eight Walmart stores in San Antonio, one in Universal City and one in Cibolo. Check for availability and schedule appointments online at walmart.com/ cp/1228302 and at samsclub.com/pharmacy.
Comal County: The county’s vaccine standby list has been reopened. Seniors 65 and older are urged to register, as are people in group 1B. The list was opened to people 50 to 64 years old Monday. A link to register for the list is posted on the Comal County website,
co.comal.tx.us, and the county’s social media sites. Those without computer access or needing help can call 830-6205575.
How much does it cost? The vaccine is free, regardless of insurance status.
Do I have to show proof of eligibility?
DSHS has not offered guidance on how providers should check for proof of qualifying for a shot. Some providers have created their own policies. H-E-B said patients can provide an ID or a prescription, while University Hospital has said it will take people at their word if they say they have underlying conditions.