CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The COVID-19 vaccine is arriving in the Coastal Bend and many of our viewers have had questions about how to get the shot, how safe it is, and even the side-effects.
So, we have put together a guide with everything you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine in the Coastal Bend, starting with County Health District mega clinics.
Statistics last updated March 1.
Nueces County
The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District closed its online and hotline pre-registration for first dose vaccinations for Plan 1A and 1B individuals Friday, March 5, at 12:30 p.m.
The vaccines will be given Saturday or at a future clinic.
City-County Public Health Director Annette Rodriguez said vaccinating the entire community is now more possible than ever with the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine. She said her team is already set for when the shipment arrives.
"This week is March 1st, so I'm looking at receiving some March the 8th," Rodriguez said. "I haven't gotten that officially yet but that's what I am hearing."
RELATED: When Nueces County can expect to receive its first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine
Bee County
FIRST DOSE CLINIC: First doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be administered on Thursday, March 4, by appointment only. These appointments are for those who meet the criteria for Phase 1A (health care workers and long-term care residents) or Phase 1B (65 and older, and 16 and older with a chronic condition).
CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Beeville has designated several phone lines to secure appointments, in addition to an online scheduling option:
- 361-354-2978
- 361-354-2841
- 361-354-2861
- 361-534-9333
Kleberg County
Kleberg County has opened an appointment only COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Kingsville at 1724 Brahma Blvd, Suite 106. Register here.
Jim Hogg County
There are a lot of folks in Jim Hogg County who are happy to hear that the federal government is soon going to be sending direct shipments of the COVID vaccine to a clinic there. There’s also a proposal before the State to form a hub for Jim Hogg and three other surrounding counties.
Private Providers, Hospitals and Drug Stores
Christus Spohn Hospital in Beeville is taking calls to register for the COVID-19 Vaccine. Click the link below for more information.
You don't have to wait until the county health department receives vaccines. The State has an interactive map where you can find a vaccine provider near you. It is updated daily.
Vaccine Side Effects
Common vaccine side effects include pain at the injection site, swelling, fever, chills, tiredness, and headache, according to the CDC.
The CDC has a website that explains the common side effects, information on the second dose, and more helpful tips.
What's Next?
After your first dose, you will need a second dose of the same vaccine you received the first time, i.e. Pfizer or Moderna. The place where you receive the vaccine should give you a card that will show a date you need to return for the booster shot.
How protected will I be?
This depends on which company's vaccine you get, but both the Pfizer and Moderna shots have shown over 90% efficacy.
The CDC grades the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine as 95% effective with both doses. Moderna's vaccine comes in with a 94% efficacy rate.
A person who gets the shot will get the full protection benefits within a few weeks, the CDC said.
How can we reach herd immunity?
According to the CDC, 'herd immunity' is defined as "a situation in which a sufficient proportion of a population is immune to an infectious disease (through a vaccine and/or prior illness) to make its spread from person to person unlikely."
Medical expert, Dr. Salim Surani said there are two ways a community can achieve this:
"Number one: either you have a person who is infected and has developed antibody or you have a vaccination, and that person has antibody," said Dr. Surani.
RELATED: COVID-19 Task Force predicts how long it'll take to reach herd immunity in the Coastal Bend
He said with recovered COVID-19 patients and vaccinated residents combined, 'herd immunity' is still way down the road.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com:
- COVID-19 vaccine in the Coastal Bend: Everything you need to know
- LIST: Where water boil notices have been lifted in the Coastal Bend
- H-E-B limiting purchases of certain products to help restore supply after winter storm
- 'Assembly Required': Corpus Christi native stars next to Tim Allen and Richard Karn in new History Channel show