Category: COVID Vaccines

Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines have been a contentious issue in the news with people wondering whether or not they’re safe, effective, and worth getting. The scientific data is in, and it has revealed that there are lots of reasons why you should get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines have been a contentious issue in the news with people wondering whether or not they’re safe, effective, and worth getting. The scientific data is in, and it has revealed that there are lots of reasons why you should get vaccinated for COVID-19.
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The Benefits of Getting Vaccinated for COVID-19

  • They are safe. They were developed using science and research that has been around for decades. Plus, they've gone through extensive testing and are undergoing the most stringent safety monitoring in our history.
  • They are effective. COVID vaccines can prevent you from contracting and transmitting the virus.
  • If you do still contract COVID-19, the vaccine can prevent you from developing severe symptoms.
  • Getting vaccinated protects the people around, especially those who are at high risk for severe symptoms.
  • Once you're fully vaccinated, you can resume your normal activities. Additionally, you will no longer have to wear a mask or practice social distancing.

Protecting Everyone: Herd Immunity and Novel Coronavirus

Herd immunity is a point at which enough of a population is immune to a vaccine that it is eventually eradicated.
The point at which we reach herd immunity differs depending on how transmissible or contagious a particular disease is. For example, with highly contagious measles and polio, herd immunity is reached when a respective 80% and 95% of the population is immune.
Additionally, viruses that mutate over time, like COVID-19, require a higher level of immunity before herd immunity can be achieved. So, although initial estimates figured that 60% to 70% of the population would need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, the estimate has increased to somewhere closer to 85% due to the increased invariants.

What's the COVID-19 Situation Like in Texas?

As of the writing of this article, there are an estimated 22,652 active cases of COVID-19 in Texas and, according to the Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker, 41.2% of Texas residents have been fully vaccinated.
Everyone in Texas who is 12 years of age or older is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Additionally, the Federal government has made COVID-19 vaccinations free for everyone in the United States. So, regardless of where you receive yours, you won’t have to pay.
If you have yet to receive yours, we strongly encourage you to talk with a healthcare provider at Gulf Coast Health Center about whether the vaccine is right for you. To learn more, we welcome you to contact one of our locations today.

Keeping Our Community Safe With COVID Vaccines

Did you know that when you get vaccinated for COVID-19, you’re not only protecting yourself from the virus, but you’re also helping to make the people around you and our communities safer?

Keeping Our Community Safe With COVID Vaccines

Did you know that when you get vaccinated for COVID-19, you’re not only protecting yourself from the virus, but you’re also helping to make the people around you and our communities safer?
That’s right – choosing to get vaccinated for novel coronavirus (or any contagious disease for that matter) actually protects the entire community in which you live – even those who are not yet vaccinated or cannot yet be vaccinated like young children. Plus, the more people who choose to get vaccinated, the safer our communities will be.
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How Does Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine Protect the Community?

The more people who are vaccinated in a community, the less easily a contagious disease, like the novel coronavirus, can spread because fewer people can contract and transmit the disease. When fewer people are walking around susceptible to COVID-19, it won’t spread as rapidly.
The threshold of vaccinated individuals needed to stop the spread altogether is called herd immunity or community immunity. The percentage of the population needed to achieve community immunity varies based on how contagious a disease is to begin with. For example, with highly contagious measles, 94% of the population needs to be vaccinated to achieve community immunity to entirely stop the spread of measles.
The exact threshold percentage needed to stop the spread of the highly contagious novel coronavirus is not yet known, but it is certain that the more people who receive the vaccine, the safer our communities will be.

How Many People Are Vaccinated in Texas?

As of the writing of this article about 33% of Texans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
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Who's Eligible to Get Vaccinated for COVID-19 in Texas?

In Texas, anyone who is currently 18 or older is eligible to receive all vaccines. Individuals who are 12 years or older are authorized to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Schedule Your COVID-19 Vaccination With Gulf Coast Health Center

If you have not yet scheduled an appointment to get your COVID-19 vaccination, we welcome you to contact any of our Gulf Coast Health Center locations in Texas to schedule your first and/or second round of COVID-19 vaccines.
Our clinics have a supply of both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations. Both of these vaccines require two doses to achieve an immune response that will provide adequate protection against the novel coronavirus.
To learn more about getting your COVID-19 vaccine and how doing so will help protect you and the health of your community, we invite you to contact Gulf Coast Health Center today.
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