When and where Texans can get the COVID-19 vaccine
Short supplies and erratic delivery are causing long waits for inoculations. Here’s 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 preexisting 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.
School, child care staff: The
Department of State Health Services added this category on Wednesday. It applies to 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.
In addition, 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.
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 now offers text alerts about opportunities to get appointments with public providers — to sign up, text Vaccine to 55000 or, for alerts in Spanish, Vacuna to 55000.
Providers also are listed on a map on the DSHS 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 or from an appointment at a city- or countysponsored COVID-19 vaccination site such as the Alamodome. Check Viainfo.net for the latest service updates. Here’s where some major providers stand
now:
City: Metropolitan Health District has run out of appointments for its current batch of first doses for the mass vaccination site at the Alamodome. Second doses of the vaccine also are being administered by appointment. Recent delays won’t compromise effectiveness because second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be given up to six weeks after the first dose. 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 and its newsletter, available at Healthfocus Sa.net. Or go to wecandoit sa.com or call 210-644-1960 for information.
Wellmed: The phone hotline has closed. Wellmed expects to reopen the phone line by Friday once more doses are received. The phone line — 833-968-1745
— is the only way to get a vaccine appointment. Shots are being given by appointment only at the Cisneros Senior Community Activity Center and the Treviño López Senior One-stop Center. No walk-ins. Visit wellmed healthcare.com/vaccine or Wellmed’s Facebook page for the latest information.
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 who are 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 Medical Center: Brooke Army Medical Center has expanded vaccinations to eligible 1B military personnel and all TRICARE beneficiaries 65 and older. Those 65 and up can make appointments through www.tricareon
line.com or by calling the Consult Appointment Management Office at 210-916-9900 or 800443-2262, option 8, from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-friday. Military and civilians in the 1B group can contact their military unit leadership to schedule an appointment at BAMC. BAMC has moved its vaccine site to another location at Joint Base San Antonio — in Building 4110 at 2536 Garden Ave. — where shots will be given by appointment only from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-friday. Appointments are full at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center for TRICARE beneficiaries 65 and older. Changes in personnel eligibility can be found at www.jbsa.mil/
coronavirus . 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 www.southtexas.va.gov or facebook.com/sanantonio VAMC.
UT Health San Antonio:
Currently vaccinating UT Health patients only. Current patients 65 and older may schedule their vaccines using Mychart. Other patients will be notified by phone or through Mychart when eligible. The online medical portal is available as an app or at bit.ly/2n0uwgv.
CVS: Vaccine is now being offered at some San Antonio locations, but appointments are fully booked. 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.
H-E-B: All appointments in San Antonio have been filled, but new time slots can be added at any time. Check availability at
vaccine.heb.com. Customers due for second doses will be contacted directly once those doses are ready.
Walgreens: No appointments currently are available within 25 miles of San Antonio. 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: Check for availability at the Walmart website at walmart.com/ cp/1228302 and Sam’s Club
website at samsclub.com/
pharmacy. Four Walmart stores — 5555 De Zavala Road, 5626 Walzem Road, 8923 W. Military Drive and 3302 SE Military Drive — are the only San Antonio sites to receive doses so far.
Comal County: The county’s vaccine standby list is full. Registration may reopen later depending on supply. Check
co.comal.tx.us and social media accounts for updates. Second doses will be administered March 10.
How much does it cost?
The vaccine is free, regardless of insurance status.
Do I have to show proof of age or underlying condition?
DSHS has not offered guidance on how providers should check for proof of age or qualifying conditions. Some providers have created their own policies. H-E-B said patients can provide an ID or a prescription for their proof, while University Hospital has said it will take people at their word if they say they have underlying conditions.
Who is next, and when?
Texas’ Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel is considering criteria for later stages of vaccine distribution. It’s likely the general public won’t receive the vaccine until the spring. Any providers with extra doses can administer them to any willing person regardless of designation.