The omicron variant of the coronavirus is officially in Texas. A 40-year-old woman in Harris County with no recent travel history tested positive for the variant, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a tweet on Monday.
Experts say the spread of the variant, which is in at least 19 U.S. states, is unsurprising. Scientists in South Africa have evidence that the omicron variant spreads more than twice as quickly as the delta variant in that country.
Still, there’s no reason to panic, said Catherine Troisi, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “We need to protect ourselves, and we have ways of doing that,” she said.
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of any COVID-19 variant is to get vaccinated, Troisi said. Here’s where to get your vaccine or vaccine booster in North Texas:
Dallas County
Dallas County Health and Human Services has several clinics offering the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, as well as booster doses for eligible adults. Detailed information about those clinics and how to make an appointment can be found here.
Vaccinations are also available through doctor’s offices and pharmacies in all North Texas counties and can be located here.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County maintains a list of county-operated and private vaccine clinics, as well as a list of which clinics offer pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11.
Collin County
Appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations through Collin County’s health care services can be found here.
Denton County
In order to get an appointment at a Denton County vaccine clinic, you have to register at the county’s vaccine interest portal. Once registered, you will receive an invitation to self-schedule an appointment.
