GALVESTON COUNTY HEALTH DISTRICT

Protecting and Promoting the Optimal Health and Well-Being of Galveston County

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug. 16, 2021

GCHD, CHW to open mass vaccination site Wednesday

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas – Galveston County Health District (GCHD) and Coastal Health & Wellness (CHW) on Wednesday will open a drive-thru COVID-19 mass vaccination site, open to first and second vaccine doses, as well as booster shots.

The site will be open this week Wednesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and beginning Aug. 23, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at 9850 Emmett F. Lowry Expy. in Texas City.

“We’re opening this mass vaccination site to support our hospital and health care systems in the county,” said Ami Cotharn, chief nursing officer for GCHD and CHW. “Schools are back in session this week and we are seeing a rapid increase in our COVID-19 cases in the county. It’s alarming. This site is a way for us to support and serve our entire community.”

Appointments are preferred to help speed up the process. To schedule an appointment, please visit gchd.org/covidvaccine. If you need assistance or have questions, you can contact the support call center at 409.938.7221. You do not need to be a Galveston County resident to visit this vaccination site.

The health district will offer both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine for those ages 18 and older and Pfizer-BioNTech specifically for those 12-17 years old. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that an individual continue with their original vaccine series received when receiving a booster. It is recommended that the booster shot be administered at least 28 days after the second dose.

There are currently no recommendations regarding booster shots for those who received the Johnson & Johnson/ Janssen vaccine.

Currently, the CDC recommends that moderately to severely immunocompromised people receive an additional dose. This includes people who have:
  • Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
  • Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
  • Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
  • Advanced or untreated HIV infection
  • Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

GCHD and CHW will ask people to confirm they are immunocompromised while scheduling their appointment. People
should talk to their health care provider about their medical condition and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

Traffic should enter the mass vaccination site off the northbound feeder road of Emmett F. Lowry Expy. between N. Amburn Road and Century Blvd.

For more information, please visit gchd.org/covidvaccine.