Across the largest four counties in North Texas Friday there were 71 more reported COVID-19 deaths and another 1,411 new reported cases of the virus. Meanwhile, the percentage of people hospitalized for COVID-19 continues to drop and is now at 7.25% in TSA-E.
County-specific details for Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties are below based on data reported Friday, March 5, 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
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Dallas County reported another 26 COVID-19 deaths Friday along with 458 new cases of the virus. In the last seven days, the county has announced 3,804 new and probable cases of the virus, an average of 543 per day, and 156 deaths, an average of 22 deaths per day.
Since March 2020, the county has reported a total of 283,638 cases of the virus including 247,349 confirmed cases (PCR) and 36,289 probable cases (antigen). There have been 3,097 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 269,130 recoveries leaving 11,411 estimated active cases in the county.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County Public Health added another 37 COVID-19 deaths Friday along with 401 new cases of the virus. In the last seven days, the county has announced 3,627 new and probable cases of the virus, an average of 518 per day, and 126 deaths, an average of 18 deaths per day. On Friday's, TCPH includes new death certificate data from the state health department in their report which leads to a higher than average number of deaths being reported.
Since March 2020, the county has reported a total of 244,632 cases of the virus including 207,651 confirmed cases (PCR) and 36,981 probable cases (antigen). There have been 2,967 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 229,300 recoveries leaving 12,365 estimated active cases in the county.
Denton County
Denton County Public Health reports an additional 449 new cases of COVID-19 Friday with four new deaths. Of the new cases reported, DCPH confirmed 429 are active while 20 have already cleared recovery protocol.
Since March 2020, Denton County has reported a total of 66,842 cases of the virus including 50,358 confirmed cases (PCR) and 16,484 probable cases (antigen). There have been 425 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 54,678 recoveries leaving 11,739 estimated active cases in the county.
Collin County
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports four new COVID-19 deaths in Collin County Friday along with 104 new cases of the virus including 76 confirmed (PCR) new cases and 28 probable (antigen) cases. The state also added 178 recoveries.
Since March 2020, the DSHS has reported a total of 83,820 cases of the virus in Collin County including 70,260 confirmed cases (PCR) and 13,560 probable cases (antigen). There have been 744 deaths attributed to the virus; there are currently an estimated 68,915 recoveries leaving 14,161 estimated active cases in the county.
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.
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