Gift Cards for Vaccinations

Starting today, people who get fully vaccinated for COVID-19 at a Houston Health Department health center or multi-service center clinic will receive a $25 gift card at the completion of the series if it’s completed within 42 days of the first dose. Learn more in this news release or see the vaccine page of HoustonEmergency.org/covid19 for more information.

Vaccination Sites

Free COVID-19 vaccinations are available at 18 Houston Health Department-affiliated sites during the week of August 2, 2021. The schedule is available on the vaccine page of HoustonEmergency.org/covid19 and in this news release. Vaccination site assets are available here.

Testing Sites

Our weekly COVID-19 testing site schedule is available on the testing site page of HoustonEmergency.org/covid19. The testing site page and the vaccination site news release provide information about who should get tested.

Educational Resources

Visit our Communications & Educational Resources page for free multilingual educational flyers, graphics, videos, toolkits, and more.

We also posted several new Take Your Best Shot videos on our YouTube channel and have more coming this week.

Sharable posts are available @houstonhealth on Facebook and Twitter and @houstonhealthdepartment on Instagram.

Priority Key Messages

Here are this week’s priority key messages:

  • COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and key to getting our lives closer to normal.
  • Getting vaccinated prevents serious illness, hospitalization, and death; it also helps reduce the spread of COVID-19.
  • Since COVID-19 vaccination began, nearly all Texas COVID-19 deaths are among people who are not fully vaccinated.
  • Like any vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines cannot stop 100% of infections, but they do protect most people.
  • While rare, breakthrough cases where fully vaccinated people get COVID-19 are expected but  fully vaccinated people are much less likely to get seriously sick.
  • Although most people with COVID-19 get better within weeks of illness, some experience post-COVID conditions (long haul symptoms) that can last months.
  • Data show Delta is different than past versions of the virus: it is much more contagious and some vaccinated people can get Delta in breakthrough infection and may be contagious.
  • Full vaccination is the best defense against COVID-19 and its variants, like Delta.
  • With the Delta variant, vaccination is more urgent than ever.
  • Wearing a mask in indoor pubic settings, regardless of vaccination status, can help protect you and everyone close to you.
  • CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.