Hays County Releases Frequently Asked Questions On Vaccine Distribution
On Thursday, Hays County released the following document with most frequently asked questions for residents in preparation for the next round of vaccinations.
The Hays County vaccine registration portal will reopen at NOON on Friday, Jan. 29. The portal will close once all vaccination slots are filled.
Residents should visit haysinformed.com to get the sign up link: https://www.haysinformed.com/
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Hays County Vaccine FAQs
Q. Do you have to be a resident of Hays County to get a vaccine here?
A. No, vaccine doses are for anyone even if they do not reside in our county.
Q. Is the County using the
Pfizer
or
Mode
rna
vaccine?
What are the differences?
A. The last two vaccine shipments received by the Hays County Local Health Department were
manufactured by Pfizer.
See the fact sheets from the manufacturers by clicking the links.
Q. How do I know if I qualify for a COVID
-19 vaccine?
A. Visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website
to view the criteria for the Phase 1A
and 1B groups
.
Q. I
/someone I know have/
has one of the qualifying chronic conditions listed by DSHS in Phase
1B. How does the County prioritize vaccine distribution?
A. The Hays County Local Health De
partment has received small quantities of the vaccine. When
we open an appointment portal, anyone who qualif
ies
under DSHS rules
can sign up. The County
does not prioritize any group or subgroup within the 1B category.
Q. Are all school district employees currently eligible to receive the vaccine?
A. Per DSHS rules, only those who are age 65 or older and/or those who fall into the 1B category
are
able to be vaccinated at this time.
Q. I take care of my elderly parents. Am I eligible to receive the vaccine per DSHS 1B rules?
A.
If you qualify under either
the 1A or 1B
group, you
are eligible to receive a va
ccine.
Q. Where can I sign up for an appointment?
A. When Hays County receives a shipment of vaccines, it
will open its appointment portal, which
can be found at haysinformed.com
. We will share as much advance notice as possible with the
community at
hayscountytx.com
, and the County’s of
ficial Facebook page
.
For those without internet access and the elderly who may not be technologically savvy, they can
call 512-
938-
1650 when an appointment portal opens
. No one will answer that number prior to that
time
. Once the time slots are filled, the online portal and phone system will be turned off.
Q. Does Hays County have a waiting list?
A. We do not have a waiting list.
Q. When the County receives more doses of the vaccine, can I come to a vaccine clinic without
an appointment?
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A. At this time, the
Hays County vaccine clinics are by appointment only
. Please do not show up
to a vaccine clinic location unless you have a scheduled appointment. It is our hope that Texas will
soon have enough of the vaccine to meet the extremely high demand. Once that occurs
, vaccine
clinics throughout the State could possibly operate without appoint
ments
.
Q. Can I make appointments for me and my spouse, parent,
child, etc. at the same time?
A. The system requires that individual registrations be made for each time slot.
Q. Is there a cancellation list?
Not at this time. We are looking into ways to improve our registration process.
Q. Can I show up at a vaccine clinic at the end of the day in case there are leftover doses?
A. We are looking into ways to improve our process and will announce any changes as they become
available. Please do not show up at a clinic without an appointment. This causes a delay for staff
who are working to run the clinics as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Q. If I need the second dose, can I sign up with Hays County even if I got my first shot
elsewhere? Or if I received a different brand of vaccine the first time?
A. Providers should receive second doses for those who received their first dose. You should sign up
at the same location w
here you received your first dose.
Q. Where are the vaccine clinics?
A. Locations may change weekly
and will be announced once they are secured.
If you have
an
appointment, you will receive the details in terms of time and location.
Q. How long do I have to wait in between my first and second doses?
A. Read the f
act sheets from
Moderna
and Pfizer
.
Q. Will the County set my second appointment when I get my first shot?
A. Yes, you will make an appointment for your second shot during the first appointment. You will
receive a reminder email of a date and time for your next vaccine, which will be given at the same
location that
you received the first dose.
Q. Do I need to bring proof from my doctor that I am in Phase 1B?
A. While we don’t require proof, we encourage only those people who are in the Phase 1B group
based on the DSHS criteria to sign up.
Q. What should I bring with me to my vaccine appointments?
A. Please bring
a f
orm of i
dentification
and any online forms that you filled out
ahead of time.
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Q. How long will it take once I arrive?
A. The estimated time from start to finish is about 3
0- 40 minutes, but it can vary based on many
factors. After receiving a dose, you will need to be observed for at least 15 minutes to ensure you
don’t have a reaction to the vaccine.
Q. Can I come earlier than my appointment time?
A. Due to social distancing requirements, we encourage you to arrive at your scheduled appointment
time. This helps us limit the number of people inside at any given time to only those who need to be
there.
If you arrive early, you will need to wait in your c
ar until your appointment time.
Q. Who can come with me to my appointment?
A. Unless you require assistance of any kind, we ask that you come to your appointment alone. This
will help us keep the number of people in the building to a minimum.
Q. Are children (who are not being vaccinated) allowed into the clinics?
A. Children are not allowed into vaccine clinic sites unless they are 16+ and have an appointment to
receiv
e a vaccine due to having one of the chronic conditions listed on the DSHS
website
for 1B.
Q. Does the County offer transportation to vaccine clinics?
A. We do not have any transportation options for vaccine clinics. We are exploring mobile units to
go into neighborhoods and rural parts of the County, but that option won’t be available until we have
more doses of the vaccine from DSHS.
Q. Will anyone at the clinic speak Spanish?
A. Yes, there will be Spanish speakers available on site.
Q. What should I wear on the day of my appointment?
A. Short
-sleeve shirts are best
since t
he injections will be in your arm
; please bring a sweater or
jacket as rooms may be cool
while you are waiting.
Q. Who is doing the vaccine injections
?
A. Vaccines will be administered by either an RN, LVN or higher certified medical provider OR a
Paramedic or higher certified First Responder.
Q. Should I continue with the safety protocols after I’m vaccinated?
A. Yes, the Centers for Disease Control recomm
ends wearing masks, washing your hands and
staying away from large gatherings even after receiving the vaccine.
Q. Can I volunteer to help the County with vaccine distribution?
A. We always welcome the opportunity for volunteers to join our efforts. Please go to
https://www.hayscountycert.com/
and apply to be a CERT volunteer.
Q. Do volunteers get vaccinated?
A. There may
be an opportunity to receive the vaccine if supplies are available.
