END the Pandemic - FREE MODERNA VACCINE AVAILABLE THIS WEEK AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS - thanks Efamily Member Janice Weaver for Sharing!

 We have two time sensitive calls-to-action we hope you’ll help us amplify this morning.

 

Appointments (Twitter | Facebook)

HHD has free #Moderna #COVID19 vaccination appointments available this week at several locations! #TakeYourBestShot to end the pandemic by registering NOW at HoustonEmergency.org/covid19. Please consider sharing this information with family and friends. #HouNews

Second Doses (Twitter | Facebook)

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UPDATED: People who received their first dose of Moderna #COVID19 vaccine from HHD March 15-20 and have not yet scheduled a second dose appointment may show up without an appt as outlined here or call 832-393-5190 to schedule an appt. Details: https://bit.ly/3de71dm. #HouNews

 

From: Packard, Scott - HHD
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2021 10:55 AM
Subject: Houston Health Department COVID-19 updates: April 13, 2021

 

Good morning,

 

Please see our statement on Facebook and Twitter regarding this morning’s news about Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. I also copied it below.

 

The Houston Health Department is following the guidance of the CDC and FDA to pause use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine out of an abundance of caution as rare adverse reactions involving blood clots are investigated. The department will await guidance on future use of the vaccine.

 

Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare and this pause is out of an abundance of caution. Only six cases are reported out of almost seven million doses administered in the United States. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports none of these occurred in Texas.

 

This pause and investigation is important, in part, to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan for proper recognition and management due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.

 

People who received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.

 

Health care providers and individuals should report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at www.vaers.hhs.gov.

 

Since HHD primarily uses Moderna vaccine, we anticipate maintaining capacity and not cancelling appointments. HHD currently has only about 300 doses of J&J in stock, so the immediate impact will be minimal.

 

HHD used Johnson & Johnson for its homebound vaccination program and some community clinics and will use now use Moderna.

 

The NRG Park Community Vaccination Site switched to Pfizer.

 

A total of 507,864 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administer at Houston Health Department-affiliated COVID-19 vaccination sites, including the Community Vaccination Site at NRG Park. Of that, 37,453 were Johnson & Johnson.

 

Learn more in the CDC/FDA joint news release here: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0413-JJ-vaccine.html.

 

Thank you,

Scott

 

There are 21 HHD-affiliated FREE+FAST+SAFE COVID-19 testing sites this week in the city. Messaging is out via news release, websites, social media, AlertHouston, and CitizensNet. I attached the this week’s flyer to this email.

 

Thank you,

Scott