Across the largest four counties in North Texas Friday there were 80 more reported COVID-19 deaths and another 1,165 new reported cases of the virus. The percentage of people hospitalized in TSA-E with COVID-19 has dropped for 11 days straight to 5.36% and has been trending downward since mid-January.
County-specific details for Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties are below based on data reported Friday, March 12, by county officials, local health departments and the state health department.
Got a question about the COVID-19 vaccine? Get the answers here in our FAQ.
Dallas County
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
Dallas County reported another 39 COVID-19 deaths Friday along with 401 new cases of the virus. In the last seven days, the county has announced 2,446 new and probable cases of the virus, an average of 349 per day, and 178 deaths, an average of 25 deaths per day.
Since March 2020, the county has reported a total of 286,084 cases of the virus including 249,011 confirmed cases (PCR) and 37,073 probable cases (antigen). There have been 3,275 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 273,207 recoveries leaving 9,602 estimated active cases in the county.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County Public Health added 36 COVID-19 deaths Friday along with 323 new cases of the virus. In the last seven days, the county has announced 2,201 new and probable cases of the virus, an average of 314 per day, and 107 deaths, an average of 15 deaths per day.
Since March 2020, the county has reported a total of 246,833 cases of the virus including 209,107 confirmed cases (PCR) and 37,726 probable cases (antigen). There have been 3,074 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 235,356 recoveries leaving 8,403 estimated active cases in the county.
Denton County
Denton County Public Health reports an additional 326 new cases of COVID-19 Friday with no new deaths. Of the new cases reported, DCPH confirmed 182 are active while 144 have already cleared recovery protocol.
Since March 2020, Denton County has reported a total of 69,633 cases of the virus including 51,637 confirmed cases (PCR) and 17,670 probable cases (antigen). There have been 431 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 59,031 recoveries leaving 10,171 estimated active cases in the county.
Collin County
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports 115 new cases of COVID-19 Friday including 48 confirmed (PCR) new cases and 67 probable (antigen) cases. The state also added 128 recoveries.
Since March 2020, the DSHS has reported a total of 84,844 cases of the virus in Collin County including 70,945 confirmed cases (PCR) and 13,899 probable cases (antigen). There have been 763 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 83,561 recoveries.
Want to Get on a Vaccine Waitlist?
County health departments have launched waitlists for adults 16 years old and over.
You can register to recieve the vaccination in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties. Links are below:
Waitlist Links: Collin - Search Waitlist | Dallas | Denton | Tarrant
You do not need to be a resident of the county to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in that county -- registration is open to anyone in Texas. For those without internet access, Tarrant County is also taking registrations by phone at 817-248-6299. In Dallas County, call the DCHHS vaccine hotline at 1-855-IMMUNE9 (1-855-466-8639). In Denton County, call 940-349-2585.
For a more detailed breakdown of who is included in each priority group in Texas, see this page from the Texas DSHS.
COVID-19 Latest
COVID-19 Vaccines
In Texas, the COVID-19 vaccines are currently available to anyone over the age of 5. The vaccines are still not approved for children younger than 5 however -- those trials are ongoing.
Once vaccinated, people who received either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines are expected to get some level of protection within a couple of weeks after the first shot, but full protection may not happen until a couple of weeks after the second shot. For those who receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine -- there is only one shot needed.
As of Jan. 3, 2022, it is also recommended those who are age 12 and up and who have been fully vaccinated receive a booster as early as five months after their last dose, for a total of three shots. The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only U.S. option for children of any age.
As for even younger children, kid-size doses for 5- to 11-year-olds rolled out in November and experts said healthy youngsters should be protected after their second dose for a while. But the FDA also said on Jan. 3, 2022, that if children that young have severely weakened immune systems, they will be allowed a third dose 28 days after their second. That’s the same third-dose timing already recommended for immune-compromised teens and adults.
Pfizer and Moderna are studying their vaccines, in even smaller doses, for children younger than 5.
Even when fully vaccinated, it's still possible to become infected by the virus since none of the vaccines offer 100% protection from infection. With that in mind, even if you've been vaccinated it's still a good idea to wear a mask and keep some separation between strangers or those whose vaccination status is unclear.
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
