Texas Children’s Team Members,
As Mr. Wallace announced on November 18, Texas Children’s has established a COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force to plan and manage the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine to our team members beginning in mid to late December.
Since the pandemic began, the world has eagerly awaited a groundbreaking vaccine to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Given that our health care community has led the battle against this virus – and that supplies of the vaccine are likely to be limited initially – one of the first priorities will be distributing the vaccine to health care systems on the frontlines of providing compassionate care for patients and their families. This includes Texas Children’s, who has been selected as one of the first institutions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by the FDA for emergency use. Not only does this represent an opportunity for us to provide another layer of protection for our team members, it is also an opportunity for us to continue leading by example and demonstrating to our communities that the COVID-19 vaccine is a critical and necessary tool toward ending the pandemic.
Once appropriate regulatory approval has been granted, Texas Children’s expects to administer a vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech. Please note that there are other COVID-19 vaccines currently under development or being tested, and Texas Children’s will continue to monitor and follow regulatory guidance of those options as they are approved and become available.
How do I opt in to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?
All Texas Children’s employees, Baylor College of Medicine faculty and staff partners will be eligible to receive this vaccine. Due to the size of our workforce, and because we anticipate initially having limited doses of the vaccine, our COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force has designed a fair and equitable approach for administrating the vaccine, based on recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine and aligned with state and federal guidance. Texas Children’s will evaluate multiple objective risk elements including a person’s risk of acquiring infection, risk of transmitting infection, risk of severe illness and death, along with risk to Texas Children’s ability to provide care for our community. To learn more, download Texas Children’s Framework for Equitable COVID-19 Allocation.
As part of this equitable allocation process, workforce members who opt in to receive the vaccine will be placed into different distribution phases. In order to do this, Texas Children’s will need to understand both a workforce member’s interest in receiving the vaccine, as well as some general information about any relevant health conditions. More information is provided below.
Phase 1 administration of the vaccine is currently scheduled to begin as early as December 14 (though subject to change) and additional phases will be scheduled as we receive more doses. Here is how to get started.
Step 1: Learn more about the vaccine.
To help our people learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, we have created a website with links to additional resources. We encourage you to review the site to carefully make the best decision for you and your family.
Step 2: Submit a confidential Opt-In Questionnaire.
In order to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, you must submit an Opt-In Questionnaire. In this form, workforce members will be asked for additional information on any personal health factors that are known to increase the risk for severe illness or death related to acquiring COVID-19. All information will be kept strictly confidential and only accessed by Employee Health.
Click here to access the Opt-In Questionnaire
To be eligible to participate in the Phase 1 launch, you must submit this questionnaire no later than 2 p.m. on Monday, December 7. If you submit a form after this deadline, you will be assigned to a later phase. Workforce members may opt out at any time.
Step 3: Check your work email for a confirmation and vaccine scheduling link.
If you have been selected to participate in Phase 1, you will receive a confirmation email at your Texas Children’s or Baylor email address after December 7 and before Phase 1 administration begins. If you are not selected for Phase 1 vaccine administration, you will also receive an email notification advising of such. To ensure efficient distribution, as well as proper social distancing, an appointment to receive both doses of the vaccine will be required. In your confirmation email, you will find a link to schedule both of your vaccination appointments. Please note that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine requires two doses to be administered 21 days apart, and that you must be available during both appointment windows. If needed, please work with your leader to arrange shift coverage.
Questions
For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, we encourage you to visit texaschildrensbenefits.org/CovidVaccine. This site is available 24/7 on or off the network via any device to provide the most up-to-date information about the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as details on steps for receiving a vaccination.
If you still have questions after reviewing the website, please contact our HR Employee Support Center at 832-826-4600 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or email employeevaccines@texaschildrens.org.
Please continue to check your email, Connect and our COVID-19 Vaccine website for the latest information.
Thank you for your tireless leadership and your compassionate care of our patients, their families and one another throughout our COVID response.
Dr. Julie Boom and Jermaine Monroe
Co-Chairs, COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force