FEMA tagged interest

The Houston Health Department today expanded its COVID-19 vaccine waitlist to all age groups eligible for vaccination under the Texas Department of State Health Services criteria. The waitlist is used to schedule the department’s allotment of appointments at the FEMA community vaccination center at NRG Park and its other vaccination sites.

Phase 1A of the state’s criteria focuses on front-line health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1B focuses on people 65 and older and people age 16 and older with medical conditions that put them at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

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People who meet the criteria can register for the waitlist online HERE. Registration is also available by phone to people age 60 and older through the Area Agency on Aging at 832-393-4301. People with disabilities can call the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 832-393-5500. Anyone else needing registration assistance can contact the COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220.

The department’s waitlist was previously open to people age 65 and older and people age 60 and older with chronic health conditions. The waitlist expansion ensures more members of the community who are eligible for the vaccine have access.

The NRG Park community vaccination site fully opened on February 24. It will  fully-vaccinate approximately 126,000 people by serving 6,000 per day seven days per week for three weeks before transitioning to second doses for three weeks. The Houston Health Department schedules 3,000 people per day for vaccination at the site using its waitlist.

Harris County Public Health also schedules 3,000 appointments per day at the NRG Park site. Criteria and registration for the Harris County waitlist is available HERE or by calling  832-927-8787.

The health department will continue prioritizing people from its high-risk zip codes when scheduling appointments. Houston’s high risk zip codes are geographic areas with people more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 illness as identified by positivity rate, underlying health condition, economic, and social data.