Heat waves might not be the only kind of wave Houstonians have to deal with in the next few weeks, as experts from the Houston Health Department have predicted a potential “Covid Wave” as cases have been slowly increasing over the past five weeks.

For the first time ever, people older than 60 and pregnant women can get a vaccine to protect against RSV, a contagious and deadly virus.

Dr. David Persse, Chief Medical Officer for the City of Houston, joins KPRC 2+ at 7 to help us understand exactly when children need their shots against preventable diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants approves new type of COVID-19 vaccine

Judge KP George encourages Fort Bend residents to receive their annual influenza vaccination, and is also encouraging eligible residents to get their COVID-19 booster while supplies are available.

State health officials and doctors will be in Houston this week to encourage people to get their COVID-19 vaccinations and updated booster shots.

A statewide organization held a discussion with medical professionals and community to determine how to improve childhood vaccination rates caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city of Houston is sounding the alarm regarding staffing for its firefighters.

Fort Bend County is the latest Houston-area community to launch a drive-thru COVID-19 mega testing site. Leaders say the site is a necessity, citing “the exponential increase” in demand by residents for COVID testing because of the rapid spread of the omicron variant.

The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to kids aged 5 and older. Pediatric infectious disease expert at UT Physicians and Director of Pediatric Infection Prevention for Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Dr. Misti Ellsworth, who had her children all vaccinated on the first day it was available, shares everything we need to know including dosage information.

The advice local doctors and the Department of State Health Services are giving parents and legal guardians regarding the COVID-19 vaccine for children is to schedule appointments in advance.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not authorized the use of Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 symptoms.

There are a few factors that make us vulnerable to a bad flu season, and the main reason could be that people aren’t wearing masks like they did this time last year.

More children were hospitalized with COVID-19 at Texas Children’s campuses Wednesday night than ever before, and most of them also have the Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV, according to the hospital.

The Houston Health Department is opening 21 sites that will offer free COVID-19 vaccinations during this week.

It’s been two weeks since July 4, and typically with COVID, two to three weeks after people gather for celebrations marks the time that the virus increases, and it’s proving to be true again.

Chipotle offers buy-one, get-one entrees as part of an incentive program to get more people vaccinated.

Temporary side effects after COVID-19 vaccines are normal and a sign your immune system is revving up.

It's not yet known if COVID-19 vaccines can affect your period, but researchers are starting to study the issue.

Eligibility to win tickets to events and giveaways are among the incentives being offered for those that receive their COVID-19 vaccinations at NRG Park's Community Vaccine Center from May 3-16.

Greg Abbott announced Thursday a new outreach partnership to help enhance the state’s Save Our Seniors program. The partnership includes the Texas Employee Retirement System, the Texas Teachers Retirement System, AARP, and Medicare health plans. The outreach partnership is expected to reach 2 million seniors. “With the continued success of the Save Our Seniors program, we are protecting more seniors in Texas from COVID-19,” Abbott said. Texans can call 211 to find out more information about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Galveston – It is considered one of the more interesting proposals in the push to get people shots of the COVID-19 vaccine. Galveston’s top doctor wants to give priority boarding on the Galveston-Bolivar ferry to people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. “We’ll work out a deal with the ferry so that people (who) get vaccinated, get on the ferry first,” said Dr. Philip Keise with the Galveston County Health Authority. Keiser is floating the idea and says they need creative ways like this one to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Ad“We’ll just go down the line ‘Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.’ One-shot and done,” said Keiser.“ Have some medical personnel on the ferries so that they can watch those folks as they’re going over.

First- and second-graders line up for Salk Polio vaccine shots on April 23, 1955. Regardless of where anyone stands on the matter, we know that vaccinations have been protecting us from diseases for decades. In 1921, the United States recorded 206,000 cases, which resulted in 15,520 deaths, according to the History of Vaccines website. According to the CDC, polio was once one of the most feared diseases in the U.S. Since 1979, there have been no polio cases that originated in the U.S.

An elderly woman gets her shot of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 in Mexico City, Monday, March 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)MEXICO CITY – Mexico announced a huge bet on Chinese vaccines Tuesday, without making public any information about their efficacy. The total of 32 million doses, plus at least 4 million doses of the CanSino shot, would dwarf the estimated 5 million vaccine doses Mexico has acquired so far from other sources. Mexico has administered only about 4.7 million doses of all vaccines, a tiny amount given the country’s population of 126 million. AdInoculations with Chinese vaccines already have begun in more than 25 countries.

When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines? (AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)(AP) – When will children be able to get COVID-19 vaccines? Pfizer and Moderna expect to start studies in children 11 and younger later this year. Read previous Viral Questions:How would COVID-19 vaccine makers adapt to variants? AdHow do we know the COVID-19 vaccines are safe?

The sisters of Spanish King Felipe VI have acknowledged on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, that they were administered COVID-19 vaccines during a visit to the United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza, File)MADRID – Two untimely coronavirus jabs have dealt another blow to the reputation of Spain's royals. The vaccination by the king’s sisters was widely criticized across Spain. The sisters of Spain’s King Felipe VI are no longer part of the official royal household, which said that the 53-year-old Felipe, Queen Letizia and their two daughters have not yet been vaccinated. Health Minister Carolina Darias, from the senior, Socialist partner of the governing coalition, made a distinction between Felipe and his sisters.

But with the focus on the first round, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourlasays says people may need to start thinking already about yearly shots. “A likely scenario is we will not have a third dose vaccine. How can Americans start thinking about annual shots starting next year? Dr. Pedro Piedra, a professor pediatric infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, say it’s just too soon to know if annual shots for COVID-19 will be necessary. Doctors say 75% to 80% of the population vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.

On Monday, Harris County Public Health came dangerously close to wasting more than 8,400 COVID-19 Moderna vaccines when the power went out and then a backup generator failed. AdTo the public health agency’s credit, in short order in the dead of night in a storm, not a single shot was wasted, according to the county. More than 5,400 of those vaccines were rushed to three hospitals, Rice University and the Harris County Jail. “I could never imagine we were going to go through this.”AdThis week, Harris County sent out messages informing patients their second doses would be rescheduled and that process is starting now. “Just be patient because everybody is going through a hard time.”AdWe asked Harris County Public Health about the cold storage failure and if they planned on making any changes moving forward.

HOUSTON – Memorial Hermann hospital has a special connection to polio survivors and wanted to ensure they were high on its list of patients to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital first began treating polio survivors in the 1950′s and 1960′s, according to Dr. Gerard Francisco, chief medical officer at TIRR Memorial Hermann/ UTHealth. “Either because they got the polio before the vaccine was developed or when the vaccine was developed, they did not have access to it.”The TIRR post-polio clinic now treats polio survivors, like Rhonda Young of Kingwood. AdFull Screen Full Screen 1 / 6 Historical photos of polio patients being treated in the 1950s at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. AdDr. Francisco said polio survivors were among some of the hospital’s first patients vaccinated against COVID-19.

UPDATE: All accination slots have filled since Memorial Hermann opened 600 additional appointments for its Saturday COVID-19 vaccine drive-thru clinic at Woodforest Bank Stadium. The 600 additional appointments were claimed under an hour after Memorial Hermann announced they were available. Memorial Hermann announced it has an additional 600 spots available for its Saturday COVID-19 vaccine drive-thru clinic at Woodforest Bank Stadium. Memorial Hermann partnered with Montgomery County, the City of Shenandoah and Conroe Independent School District to host the clinic. Vaccine supply is limited and appointments will be scheduled on a first come, first served basis until the available appointments are full.

HOUSTON – The Harris Health System has found itself in a predicament as they expect to run out of their COVID-19 vaccine supply Friday. But, industry experts say the shortage will affect much more than Harris Health patients. Harris Health serves the uninsured and underinsured from low-income communities. For now, the final doses run out today with Harris Health unsure of when the next batch will arrive. Harris Health had been running seven vaccination sites but only ran one Friday.

RICHMOND, Texas – Preregistration for the COVID-19 has closed following Fort Bend County Judge KP George’s announcement that the county received a supply of 5,850 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from the Department of State Health Services Thursday. The county scheduled appointments for those who are currently preregistered with the Fort Bend County Health & Human Services. “I am glad to announce that Fort Bend County Health & Human Services (FBCHHS) received a supply of 5,850 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine today and will begin scheduling appointments for those who are currently Preregistered with us,” George said in a written release. Please follow updates on fbchealth.org.”Anyone with questions regarding preregistration, the COVID-19 vaccine or COVID-19 information in general, is asked to call the county’s Vaccination Hotline at 832-471-1373. “This is the way the process occurs, and we will move forward.”The state designated Ft. Bend County as a vaccine hub.

Can COVID-19 vaccines be mixed and matched? The COVID-19 vaccines rolling out in the United States, the United Kingdom and other parts of the world so far require two shots given a few weeks apart. In the U.S. where Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being distributed, health officials say the vaccines are not interchangeable. But without any studies, vaccine doses should not be mixed, said Naor Bar-Zeev, a vaccine expert at Johns Hopkins University. Read previous Viral Questions:Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I’ve had the virus?

HOUSTON – Fort Bend County Judge KP George said he’s equally as frustrated as others waiting on COVID-19 vaccines. The county received about 1,000 doses last week but they’re already gone. The problem: The county needs more doses and it’s not alone. Still, Judge George is optimistic. He also said the county is ready to open four or five vaccine locations but it needs the doses to arrive first.

GALVESTON, Texas – The COVID-19 vaccine hubs will soon open across Texas but not in Galveston County, at least not during the first round. The initial list includes three hubs in the Houston area; all three are located in Harris County. Between the vaccine allocation amounts so far and lack of a hub, Dr. Keiser said he doesn’t want the state to forget about people in his county. Dr. Keiser said the Galveston County Health District has only received 600 doses so far. In a statement, Galveston County is encouraging residents who want the vaccine to call the state and ask that more doses be sent to the county.

She said the clinic has not received the COVID-19 vaccine after being approved by the Department of State Health Services several weeks ago. Farizani said a lot of her patients work at grocery stores, restaurants, they drive school buses and work in cafeterias. The clinic has been working hard since the start of the pandemic and now they’re faced with a difficult roadblock. She said she can’t understand why the Department of State Health Services has not provided them with the vaccine after she says they were approved many weeks ago. Farizani said the community needs the vaccine to protect themselves and their families from the deadly virus.

HOUSTON – The FBI and other government agencies are warning people against a new scam that has emerged related to the coronavirus vaccine. FBI warns people about COVID-19 vaccine scam. Don’t share your personal or health information with anyone other than known and trusted medical professionals. Check your medical bills and insurance explanation of benefits (EOBs) for any suspicious claims and promptly reporting any errors to your health insurance provider. Never provide personal information of any sort via email; be aware that many emails requesting your personal information may appear to be legitimate.

The list is maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

HOUSTON – The first doses of the coronavirus vaccine at Houston’s Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center are set to be administered on Wednesday. “We’re all very excited and we’re definitely ready to get rolling,” said Dr. Prathit Kulkarni, assistant chief of the medical care line. The hospital received just under 3,000 doses, which will first go to frontline workers helping COVID-19 patients and veterans in the long-term care facility called the community living center, he said. “Ultimately the plan will be to do all veterans and all staff, that’s the long-range ultimate goal,” Kulkarni said. The Houston facility expects to receive more shipments in the near future so people who get vaccinated now can receive the second dose in a couple of weeks.

Nearly a year since the coronavirus disease was first reported in Wuhan, China, vaccines are now being approved for distribution around the world. First administered: If approved, the AstraZeneca vaccine could possibly be availble by late December or early 2021, according to BioSpace. All rights reserved)Effectiveness rate: According to Moderna, mRNA-1273 is 94.1% effective against COVID-19. All rights reserved)Effectiveness rate: According to Pfizer, its analysis shows BNT162b2 is 95% effective against COVID-19 beginning 28 days after the first dose. First administered: The vaccine was first administered to a 90-year-old woman on Tuesday, Dec. 8 in the United Kingdom.

According to the health experts, that means getting the first vaccine available to you. One viewer asked KPRC 2 to confirm whether the government is using the vaccine as a form of control, specifically for female sterilization. “This vaccine has undergone very rigorous testing, it has been tested on a minimum of 35,000 people so we know a great deal about its side effects,” Dr. Philip said. KPRC 2 Health Reporter Haley Hernandez will be tracking some key dates concerning the vaccine over the next few days and weeks. On Dec. 17th, the FDA meets to decide on an “emergency use authorization” for the Moderna vaccine.

HOUSTON – Houston’s chief medical officer said hospitals will be the first facilities in the area to receive a coronavirus vaccine once it’s available locally. “We’ll be protecting healthcare workers, but in particular these are healthcare workers who are in the practice of caring for COVID positive patients,” Dr. David Persse said on Monday. “We’ll be prioritizing those communities that have increased risk and less availability due to all kinds of healthcare inequities,” Persse said. The list includes healthcare workers, frontline workers and people in vulnerable populations who are at greater risk of severe disease and death if they contract COVID-19. The health department expects to receive the vaccines from the manufacturer, Persse said.

“This is one of the most significant medical advances in the last 100 years,” Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and CEO, said. El Sahly actually oversees the Moderna trial for Baylor College of Medicine. Americans will receive the vaccine for free consistent with the U.S. government’s commitment for free access for COVID-19 vaccines." Some infectious disease experts, including Dr. Peter Hotez with Baylor College of Medicine, believe the first vaccine available may not be the one that’s proven most effective in the long run. “I’m often asked the question, ‘hey Dr. Hotez which vaccine are you waiting for?’ That’s the wrong question I’m not waiting for anything,” Hotez explained.

HOUSTON – A couple of big-name frontrunners in the race for a coronavirus vaccine, Moderna and Pfizer, began part of their experimental trial here in Houston. Black and Hispanic communities are not signing up for vaccine trialsAccording to the Texas Center for Drug Development, less than 8% of the participants in the vaccine trial in Houston are Black. “That’s why this is such an important part of making that happen," said Dr. Veronica Garcia Fragoso, senior clinical research investigator. In the Tuskegee study, researchers were only studying black men and they were not transparent with their study. “We value the time and travel,"said Dr. Lisa Holloway, clinical research investigator with TCDD.

The top executives of nine drugmakers likely to produce the first vaccines against the new coronavirus signed an unprecedented pledge meant to boost public confidence in any approved vaccines. Meanwhile, public health officials have expressed doubt that adequate data on vaccine safety and effectiveness would be available before November. BioNTech has partnered with Pfizer on one of the three vaccines now in the final round of human testing. The country already has a small, but vocal, group of “anti-vaxxers” who oppose giving their children the many standard vaccines. They added that extra transparency on testing results and the approval process is needed.