Baylor Scott & White Hospital adds two new large COVID-19 vaccination hubs to their list of available sites accepting walk-ins from Texans any age above 12.
The Dallas County location at Baylor University Medical Centerย located at 1208 Hall Street in Dallas, is accepting walk-ins Wednesday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Collin County location, Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Starย located at 3800 Gaylord Parkway in Frisco, is accepting walk-ins Wednesday to Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Individuals still have the option to schedule an appointment by clicking here or by using the MyBSWHealth app. Individuals 12-17 can also call 1-844-BSW-VACC (844-279-8222).
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
If you would like to register to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in Dallas County, click here for more information.
COVID-19 Vaccines
In Texas, the COVID-19 vaccines are currently available to anyone over the age of 5. The vaccines are still not approved for children younger than 5 however -- those trials are ongoing.
Once vaccinated, people who received either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines are expected to get some level of protection within a couple of weeks after the first shot, but full protection may not happen until a couple of weeks after the second shot. For those who receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine -- there is only one shot needed.
As of Jan. 3, 2022, it is also recommended those who are age 12 and up and who have been fully vaccinated receive a booster as early as five months after their last dose, for a total of three shots. The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only U.S. option for children of any age.
As for even younger children, kid-size doses for 5- to 11-year-olds rolled out in November and experts said healthy youngsters should be protected after their second dose for a while. But the FDA also said on Jan. 3, 2022, that if children that young have severely weakened immune systems, they will be allowed a third dose 28 days after their second. Thatโs the same third-dose timing already recommended for immune-compromised teens and adults.
Pfizer and Moderna are studying their vaccines, in even smaller doses, for children younger than 5.
Even when fully vaccinated, it's still possible to become infected by the virus since none of the vaccines offer 100% protection from infection. With that in mind, even if you've been vaccinated it's still a good idea to wear a mask and keep some separation between strangers or those whose vaccination status is unclear.