Health Center Offering New Bivalent Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 Boosters; Mobile Flu Vaccination Clinics Continue Through November
WACO, Texas (Oct. 6, 2022) - The Baylor University Health Center is offering the updated Moderna and Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccines for Baylor students, faculty and staff, as well as spouses and dependents. Flu vaccinations also are available for students, faculty and staff at convenient mobile flu shot clinics scheduled through November. Vaccines are given by appointment, although walk-in appointments for the flu shot will be available.
The updated boosters provide broadly protective immune response against COVID-19 and better protection against the omicron variant, which is currently causing most cases of COVID-19 in the United States. In addition, cases of the flu have arrived much earlier than usual.
"I am concerned about our upcoming winter as countries in the Southern Hemisphere have seen very high rates of flu and COVID in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals. Our flu season is generally a good reflection of what happens in the Southern Hemisphere, so we are encouraging everyone who can take them to get both COVID and flu vaccines prior to the winter," said Sharon Stern, M.D., medical director of Baylor Health Services. "We are helping ourselves not get sick when we get vaccinated, but perhaps even more importantly, we are protecting those around us who are at risk or unable to get the vaccine."
The updated Moderna booster dose can be given to adults 18 and older, and the updated Pfizer booster dose can be given to individuals ages 12 and older, at least two months after previous doses. It cannot be given as an initial series, Dr. Stern said, but "it can be booster dose No. 3, 4, 5, etc., just not the initial first or second doses" of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines.
"As long as they are in the appropriate age range, and they have completed the initial series or had a booster dose at least two months prior, they can receive the new Moderna or Pfizer booster dose," she said.
How to Make a Vaccination Appointment
The Baylor Health Center, located on the second floor of the McLane Student Life Center, offers vaccination appointments on Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 4:10 p.m. for first, second and booster doses to employees and students, as well as spouses and dependents of employees and students.
Vaccination appointments for Baylor students, faculty and staff: Students, faculty and staff can make appointments for themselves online for a COVID-19 or flu vaccination by logging in to the Health Portal on the Baylor Health Center website.
Vaccination appointments for dependents and spouses: Baylor faculty and staff must call the Baylor Health Center at 254-710-1010 to make an appointment for COVID vaccination for dependents* and spouses. These appointments cannot be made online.
Dr. Stern expects that the COVID vaccine to become a yearly shot just like the flu vaccine that is adjusted for dominant variants.
FLU SHOT* CLINICS DATES/HOURS
Baylor Health Services will hold its mobile flu vaccination clinics on:
Tuesday, Oct. 18
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Piper Great Hall at Truett Seminary
Friday, Oct. 28
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in room 124 in the Foster Campus for Business and Innovation
Friday, Nov. 4
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the lobby of the Sid Richardson Building
Friday, Nov. 11
12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in room 100 of Morrison Hall
*Flu shots are available for students and employees only.
Advance appointments are preferred, but walk-in appointments for the flu shot will be available. Students, faculty and staff can make appointments in advance for any of the flu clinics through the Health Portal on the Baylor Health Center website.
There is no out-of-pocket charge for the flu vaccination, but if you do have health insurance, please bring your insurance card with you or send your insurance information to health_services@baylor.edu.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.