Vaccines & Clinics

Get vaccinated at the Health District!

  • Daily clinic available Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 225 W. Waco Drive.
  • All vaccines can also be booked by appointment. Walk in's welcome.
  • Be prepared to wait about 15-30 minutes after your vaccine is administered.
  • Waco Transit is available to provide transportation to the vaccine clinic if you need it. Please call (254) 750-1620, at least 24 hours before your appointment to schedule.
  • Your second dose does not have to be from the same provider but does have to be the same brand of vaccine.
  • Be on the lookout for an email from: notifications@luninaremed.com, for your second dose and a text message as well.
  • Please check your email spam folders. Keep your shot record to present it for your second dose.
  • If you are feeling ill or are quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure on the day of your appointment, please reach out and cancel or reschedule at (254) 750-5842.

Booster Information

What are boosters?

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccines don't provide lifelong immunity and the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases slowly over time. Boosters are similar to other vaccines such as the tetanus vaccine.

Who should get a booster dose?

Everyone age 5 and older is eligible to get a COVID-19 booster dose, if it has been at least two months since your last booster or final primary dose.

Who should get a 2nd booster dose?

On March 29, 2022, the FDA has authorized a 2nd booster dose of either the Pfizer or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for individuals 50 years and older and certain immunocompromised individuals. A second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least 2 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. A second booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 or Moderna vaccine may be administered to certain immunocompromised individuals 5 years of age and older at least 2 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Why will some people get a second booster dose?

Older adults—especially those with underlying medical conditions—and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk of severe health impacts if infected by COVID-19 and are therefore among those most likely to benefit from the additional protection of a second booster shot. Individuals in these groups should consult with their health provider if they have questions about getting a second booster. Booster doses are common for many vaccines. The scientists and medical experts who developed the COVID-19 vaccines will continue to watch for signs of waning immunity, how well the vaccines protect against new mutations of the virus, and how that data differ across age groups and risk factors. To date, booster doses have been effective in boosting immunity against new variants of COVID-19 and extending protection of the vaccine against serious illness.

If we need a booster dose, does that mean that the vaccines aren't working?

COVID-19 vaccines are working well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, but the latest data show that booster doses significantly increase protection against the Omicron variant. The latest CDC recommendations on booster doses help to ensure more people across the U.S. are better protected against COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated and boosted if eligible—particularly for groups that are more at risk for severe COVID-19, such as older people and those with underlying medical conditions.

What's the difference between an "additional dose" for immunocompromised people and a "booster dose"?

A booster dose is given after a complete vaccine series to provide additional protection against a vaccine’s effectiveness has decreased over time, while an additional dose is given to people with compromised immune systems to improve their response to the initial vaccine series. People with compromised immune systems may have a reduced ability to respond to vaccines and having a weakened immune system can increase the risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19. The CDC recommends that immunocompromised people who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine get an additional dose at least 28 days after their second shot. Data show that an additional dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines helps to increase protection for this group. Patients who are immunocompromised should consult with their health care provider to discuss additional precautions and any questions they have about protecting themselves from COVID-19.

Second Doses

Vaccination Second Dose Information If you received your first dose at one of the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District Vaccine Clinics, you will be contacted to receive your second dose from there as well.

When are my second doses needed?

People who receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should get their second dose 21 days after the first ones. A follow-up Moderna vaccine should be administered 28 days after the initial dose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a four-day window when the second dose is considered valid, if someone were to get the vaccine early. The second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech is still valid on day 17 after the first injection, and the second dose of the Moderna vaccine is still valid on day 24 after the first injection.

The second doses need to be from the same manufacturer as the first ones. What if someone can’t get a second dose on time?

Patients should plan to get their second doses as close to the recommended time as possible. If it’s not possible to do so, people can receive their second doses up to six weeks after the first, according to the CDC. The CDC said that there is limited data for the effectiveness of the vaccines beyond the six-week interval but that the series of either vaccine does not need to be restarted if patients get their second doses more than six weeks after the first.

Do people have to go to the same providers for both shots?

State health officials recommend that people return to the same providers who administered their first doses. If patients can’t get an appointment with their original providers, they can try registering with a vaccine hub if the hub accepts people who didn’t get their first shots there or try contacting providers on the state’s availability map.

Why is a second shot needed?

Vaccines are intended to hardwire immunological memory to generate a rapid, targeted and durable response by antibodies and T-cells to an invading virus. Typically, booster shots are intended to provide the immune system with advanced “training” to make better antibodies. Some vaccines requiring multiple doses are administered four months apart to optimize immune memory. COVID-19 vaccines may work the same way, but it will take additional studies to know this for sure. Some companies are studying a single-shot COVID-19 vaccines, with results expected to be analyzed soon.

Forms & Information

Forms are available on-site but also may be filled out in advance and brought in with you.