COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Covid-19 Vaccine in Texas Timeline

Texas continues to receive doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and is distributing statewide to hospitals, pharmacies, local health departments, freestanding ERs, and other clinics.

Vaccine-timeline

How does the COVID-19 vaccine work?

COVID-19 Vaccines Are Here. Why Do We Need to Keep up Prevention Steps?

Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine - 95% effective in preventing COVID-19

On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 16 years of age and older. The emergency use authorization allows the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine needs to be kept extremely cold between -80°C and -60°C.

Common Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasts several days, are:

  • Pain at the injection site
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Joint pain
  • Fever

Note: More people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose, so it is important for vaccination providers and recipients to expect that there may be some side effects after either dose, but even more so after the second dose. Learn More.

FDA

Moderna COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine - 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19

On December 18, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the second vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The emergency use authorization allows the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. for use in individuals 18 years of age and older. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine needs to be kept cold at -20°C, more like a regular freezer.

Common Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasted several days were:

  • Pain at the injection site
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Chills
  • Joint Pain
  • Swollen lymph nodes in the same arm as the injection
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fever

Note: More people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose, so it is important for vaccination providers and recipients to expect that there may be some side effects after either dose, but even more so after the second dose. Learn More.

FDA