El Pasoans eagerly awaiting the Pfizer vaccine's first dose can try their luck when UMC opens its registration portal at 6 p.m. this evening.

Senior citizens, educators, school, and childcare staff, are all encouraged to register online today as University Medical Center (UMC) accommodates another round of 4,000 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine today at 6 p.m.

University Medical Center of El Paso encourages anyone who qualifies for current vaccination under Texas Department of State Health Services vaccination groups such as 1A, 1B,  and 1C including, Educators, School, and Childcare staff, to register online UMCelpaso.org.

Vaccination groups 1A and 1B, 1C, Educators, School and Childcare Staff, qualify to sign up:

  • Group/Category 1A - First responders and healthcare personnel who are essential to keeping the healthcare system intact
  • Group/Category 1B - People 65 years of age and older and those 16 years of age and older with at least one chronic medical condition
  • Group/Category 1C: People 50 to 64 years of age

School and Childcare Personnel are now eligible to be vaccinated in Texas, including:

  • Those who work in pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools;
  • Head Start and Early Head Start programs such as teachers, staff, and bus drivers
  • Any licensed childcare provider, including center-based and family care providers.

With many El Pasoans wanting to get the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, expect that all 4,000 vaccinations appointments will fill immediately.  UMC will close the vaccine registration after reaching the 4,000 registrants; however, the hospital says it will make other opportunities to register for vaccinations in the coming weeks.

El Pasoans will also have another chance to register for the vaccine on Thursday, March 18 when UMC will open its registration portal at 6 p.m., offering 1000 appointments specifically for school, childcare personnel, and senior citizens 65 and older.

El Pasoans without internet access can also try to register via UMC’s telephone registration on Thursday at 9 a.m., where 725 appointments will be made available by calling 915-200-2700.  Both the online and phone registration will close when available appointments have been exhausted.

For more COVID-19 information, visit epstrong.org.

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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