Cook Children's Hospital on Wednesday announced it is now treating 24 patients for the coronavirus and is closing in on the record of 27 set in January.
Cook also is the latest hospital to require its own employees to be vaccinated.
"In Tarrant County, COVID-19 is once again at the high category,” CEO Rick Merrill said in a video message to employees. “The delta variant is very contagious and many of our patients are vulnerable because they can't get vaccinated at this time."
That’s why the Tarrant County Health Department is making it easy to get vaccinated, opening another clinic recently inside Ridgmar Mall.
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They're giving back-to-school shots to children for things like mumps.
But the problem is only a fraction of the immunizations are for COVID-19.
Nurses are trying desperately to overcome people's reluctance.
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"We just encourage people to trust the science,” said health department nurse Erin Beasley. “We encourage them to come out and trust the other vaccines also available here."
Taylor Morris changed her mind when she saw more people getting sick.
She got her second dose on Wednesday.
"Once it was right there in front of me it took me like five seconds to say, ‘Yep, I'm doing it right now,’" she said. "As the numbers are rising I want to do my part. I don't want to give my daughter or my mom or any of my family, so I decided it was time."
Dakota Bullon, who sells shoes in the mall, stopped by to get his vaccine for the same reason.
"That's the only reason I got it because the numbers went up so high,” Bullon said.
Health officials warn the numbers are still headed in the wrong direction.
Bullon had this advice for people still holding out.
"Just go ahead and do it anyways,” he said. “It doesn't hurt. There's no point not to get it."
