Public Health Emergency PreparednessPublic Health Emergency Preparedness

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***Due to inclement weather, all Fort Bend County COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination sites will be closed Tuesday, September 14, 2021.***

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Fort Bend County residents are invited to complete a survey and/or to participate in a virtual Focus Group about the COVID-19 vaccines and Fort Bend County’s outreach and response efforts.  Please consider participating as we are planning the next phase of our response plans.  Your voice is important to us!  (Please note: Only Focus Group contributors will receive a $100 gift card in appreciation for your participation.)

In Texas, everyone over 12 years of age is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Also, Fort Bend County run COVID-19 vaccine sites accept walk-up vaccinations!

Currently, all of our FBC Health & Human Services COVID-19 vaccination clinics are accepting walk-in visits for moderately-to-severely immunocompromised people seeking to receive their 3rd dose of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Moderately to severely immunocompromised people includes those who have:

-Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood

-Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

-Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system

-Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)

-Advanced or untreated HIV infection

-Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response

Minor Consent Form: Click here to get the Minor Consent Form if you would like to complete it prior to bringing your child to be vaccinated. All children 12-17 years of age must provide a completed COVID Informed Consent – Minor Form signed by their parent or legal guardian at the vaccination site before they can be vaccinated.  The COVID Informed Consent – Minor Form is also available at each vaccination site to ensure that the child’s parent or legal guardian is able to complete prior to the child being vaccinated.

Please click here to read the Emergency Use Authorization COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheets before getting your vaccine.

Community Use of Cloth Masks Help Control the Spread of COVID-19

HHS:   Vaccination Hotline (for questions only) 832-471-1373

West Nile Virus

About Human West Nile Neuroninvasive Disease

West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States.  It is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of WNV by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.

Most common symptoms/signs of West Nile Fever and West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease:

  • West Nile Fever (WNF)–fever, headache, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
  • West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease (WNND) – headache, high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, coma and paralysis.

Fort Bend County Monitors West Nile Virus for Disease Control

When an area has mosquito samples that test positive for WNV, Fort Bend County Road & Bridge, or the appropriate city department, takes a focused response to prevent mosquito breeding by increasing spraying and larviciding in the area until a sample of mosquitoes tests negative for the virus. Fort Bend County does NOT spray for nuisance mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are sprayed for vector borne disease prevention only. Testing is conducted by trapping mosquitoes and submitting the sample to be tested for viruses.  Mosquitoes positive for WNV do not necessarily lead to human cases of disease.

Fort Bend County monitors the type and numbers of mosquitoes present and submits samples for WNV testing. The County also sprays for nuisance mosquitoes but increases spraying and larviciding in areas where mosquito samples have tested positive for WNV.

Fort Bend County Health & Human Services encourages all residents, regardless of their location, to protect themselves and family against mosquito bites.  Remember the 4D’s: dress in loose light colored clothing to cover legs and arms, use repellent that contains DEET, avoid going outside at dusk and dawn, and drain standing water.

Spraying can only impact the mosquitoes where the spray reaches. Some backyards with high privacy fences can not be sprayed by a spray truck. The best practice to prevent mosquitoes around the home is to drain any standing water (flowerpots, trash cans) and if necessary, spray yards with commercial sprays available at most home improvement stores. Together, we can reduce the risk of WNV in our communities.

West Nile Virus is a potentially serious illness that spreads when infected mosquitoes bite humans and other animals. Symptoms include high fever, headaches, neck stiffness, nausea, and vomiting. It is important to note that 80% of people infected with WNV will show no symptoms at all, and only 1 in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe symptoms. Severe symptoms include fever, and may include unusually intense headaches or confusion. If these symptoms develop seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms will appear 3-14 days after a person has been bitten by an infected mosquito.

Protect yourself from mosquitoes by remembering the four D’s:

  • DUSK/DAWN are the times of day you should try to stay indoors. This is when infected mosquitoes are most active.
  • DRESS in long sleeves and pants when you’re outside. For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent.
  • DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is an ingredient to look for in your insect repellent. Follow label instructions, and always wear repellent when outdoors. Apply sunscreen first and then mosquito repellent. Reapply after sweating and swimming in the same order.
  • DRAIN standing water in your backyard and neighborhood – old tires, flowerpots, and clogged rain gutters. These are mosquito-breeding sites.