Madison Clarke
While there is no legal requirement to be vaccinated in Houston, Texas, some employers and schools are requiring it. Houston Methodist Hospital, for example, faced a lawsuit from employees who claimed that the hospital was forcing them to be human guinea pigs to keep their jobs. However, the hospital's president and CEO, Marc Boom, defended the decision, stating that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Houston's only vaccination clinic has been overwhelmed, and the registration process for vaccines has led to many dead ends. The Texas Administrative Code sets vaccination requirements for children in schools and daycare.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vaccination Requirements | No restrictions on where a person must live to get the vaccine in Houston |
| Registration Process | Registration through the state health department website, hub providers, or the Houston Health Department |
| Waitlists | Randomized waitlists available for Harris County Public Health, Houston Health Department, and NRG Park |
| Contact | Harris County Public Health: 832-927-8787; Houston Health Department: 832-393-4220 |
| Transportation | Metrolift available for transportation to NRG Park for those with disabilities |
| Employer Requirements | Employers can require vaccination as a condition of employment, with exceptions for religious beliefs and disabilities |
| School Requirements | Texas Administrative Code sets vaccination requirements for children in public and private schools, childcare, and pre-K |
| Hospital Policy | Houston Methodist Hospital requires employees to be vaccinated |
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What You'll Learn
COVID-19 vaccine registration in Houston
The City of Houston has launched online registration for free COVID-19 vaccinations. The Houston Health Department's COVID-19 vaccine clinic appointments are booked for the rest of the month, and the department is not taking additional appointments at this time. The response to Houston's first COVID-19 vaccination clinic was massive, quickly filling the appointment slots for the department's current vaccine allotment. The vaccine is currently available only to people who qualify under Phase 1A and Phase 1B of Texas' Vaccine Allocating Guiding Principles.
The department will announce additional vaccine opportunities as availability increases. Information about COVID-19 vaccines, including safety and efficacy, is available online on the COVID-19 Vaccine page of HoustonEmergency.org/covid19. The GoodRx drug-price-comparison app has also rolled out a guide to help you learn about the COVID-19 vaccine, track its availability, and set up a vaccination appointment in Houston or elsewhere in Texas.
Meanwhile, appointments are also available through the health department's COVID-19 call center by calling 832-393-4220. The call center is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 am to 4 pm and until 5 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Users will receive an appointment time and the location of the vaccination clinic site during the registration process.
There is no mandate for COVID-19 vaccination in Houston. However, employees with sincerely held religious beliefs that would be violated by getting vaccinated may be able to refuse an employer’s demand to vaccinate under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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Houston's free vaccination clinics
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Immunization Section works to eliminate the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. The DSHS achieves this by increasing vaccination coverage for Texans, raising awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases, sharing information about vaccine safety, and supporting providers in identifying opportunities to improve vaccine uptake. The DSHS also maintains the Texas Immunization Registry (ImmTrac2), which provides access to immunization records. Furthermore, the department manages the Texas Vaccines for Children and Adult Safety Net programs, which ensure that all Texans have access to vaccines, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance restrictions.
While there is no mandate for vaccination in Houston, the Texas Administrative Code does set vaccination requirements for children in public and private schools, childcare, and pre-K. Additionally, employers may require employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment. However, employees with sincerely held religious beliefs that would be violated by vaccination may be able to refuse under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Registering for a COVID-19 vaccine in the Houston area has been challenging, with many individuals encountering dead ends and messages stating that no appointments are available. The state's website instructs individuals to select a hub provider from a list and then click on the registration link. However, some hub providers, such as Harris County Public Health, do not provide a way to leave contact information or join a waiting list. Other providers, such as Houston Methodist Hospital, will contact individuals if they have availability for vaccines after receiving their information.
It is important to note that the COVID-19 vaccines have been granted Emergency Use Authorization, and there are concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the new vaccines using DNA or mRNA technology. Despite this, public health officials still recommend vaccine recipients take precautions such as wearing face coverings, maintaining physical distance, and avoiding crowds.
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Houston Methodist Hospital's vaccine mandate for employees
Houston Methodist Hospital made headlines in 2021 when it became one of the first healthcare providers in the United States to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for its employees. The hospital system, which employs over 26,000 people, gave workers until June 7, 2021, to receive at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or face suspension and possible termination.
The mandate was met with resistance from some employees, with more than 100 workers suing the hospital system over the forced vaccination. The plaintiffs argued that they were being used as human "guinea pigs" and that the mandate violated the Nuremberg Code, a policy that prohibits medical experimentation on humans. They also claimed that the hospital was putting profits over people and provided data on reported adverse effects and deaths following COVID-19 vaccination from the CDC's VAERS database.
However, Houston Methodist CEO Dr. Marc Boom defended the decision, stating that it is legal for healthcare institutions to mandate vaccines and that the COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and effective through rigorous trials. He also pointed out that 99% of the hospital's employees had already been vaccinated.
The deadline for compliance came and went, and the hospital ultimately lost more than 150 employees who either resigned or were terminated for refusing to comply with the mandate. The lawsuit filed by the unvaccinated employees was initially dismissed by a U.S. District Court Judge, but the plaintiffs appealed the decision to a higher court.
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Vaccine scams in Houston
While the COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone who is qualified, regardless of immigration status, mistrust and misinformation have caused confusion and disillusionment in Houston. Harris County has invested in bilingual billboard, radio, and digital campaigns to educate residents about the COVID-19 vaccine.
As the COVID-19 vaccine rolled out across the country, the Better Business Bureau of Houston warned that scammers would be taking advantage of the situation. Indeed, some scammers sold fake vaccines, while others promised to get people to the front of the line. Scammers may contact people via phone calls, text messages, emails, or even knocking on doors, claiming to get people on an early list to get the vaccine. They may ask for money or personal information such as credit card or social security details. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to these scams.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the FTC have issued fraud alerts stating that people will not be asked for money to enhance their ranking for vaccine eligibility. If you believe you are being targeted in a COVID-19 vaccine scam, you should report it to the BBB of Greater Houston.
In addition to these scams, there have been issues with the registration process for the COVID-19 vaccine in Houston. While the process to register for a vaccine from one of Texas' new vaccine hub providers sounds easy, it often leads to dead ends. For example, the Houston Health Department's vaccine hub provider registration link was non-functional, and the link for Harris County Public Health stated that there were no appointments available.
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Where to get vaccinated in Houston
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) provides information on how to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in Houston. You can select a hub provider from the list on the state's website and then click on the registration link. However, some users have reported that this process often leads to dead ends and messages stating that there are no appointments available.
Vaccines are administered at retail pharmacies, including Walgreens, Walmart, and CVS, as well as clinics and other locations such as doctor's offices. You can use the federal government's website, Vaccines.gov, to search for vaccination sites by ZIP code. Alternatively, you can get the same information by texting your ZIP code to 438829 or by calling 800-232-0233.
The CDC recommends that people 6 months and older get the updated mRNA vaccines, which target a more recent strain of the Omicron variant. People 5 and older, especially those who are 65 and older, living in long-term care facilities, or at high risk of severe disease from coronavirus infection, should get one dose of the updated vaccine, regardless of their previous vaccination history.
It is important to note that the CDC no longer distributes vaccine cards, and they are not required to receive a vaccine. If you have lost your vaccine card, you can contact the site where you were vaccinated to request a new one or a copy of your vaccination record.
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Frequently asked questions
No, but it is recommended. Under CDC guidelines, fully vaccinated people can travel within the U.S. without a COVID-19 diagnostic test or quarantine. However, you should still wear a mask and avoid visits with unmasked people at high risk for COVID-19 complications.
It depends on your employer. Houston Methodist Hospital has made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for its employees. However, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law denying state contracts to businesses that require customers to be vaccinated.
You can find a list of providers with available vaccines on the Texas Department of State Health Services website. You can also find information about the coronavirus, fact sheets about the vaccines, and how to sign up for an appointment on the Houston Health Department's COVID-19 portal.
Yes, the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have all been available in Houston.
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