Dallas County Adds 13 New COVID-19 Deaths Tuesday, Adds 245 New Cases

Dallas County is reporting another 13 COVID-19 deaths Tuesday along with another 245 new cases of the virus, a lower number, county officials say, driven by reporting delays due to winter storms.

“Our numbers today are artificially low due to the cold weather disrupting reporting processes. The overall trend though over the last two weeks has been very positive in that cases are declining," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. "Things are extremely difficult right now for everyone and social distancing may not be possible in some situations where families are taking in others. It is very important in these situations to use as much spacing as possible, wear your mask, wash your hands, and do all that you can to avoid the spread of COVID during this unprecedented weather emergency."

Of the cases reported Tuesday, the county said 119 were confirmed cases and 126 were probable (antigen test) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county from March 2020 to 241,532 and the number of probable (antigen test) cases to 33,868. The total of confirmed and probable cases in the county is now 275,400. Over the last seven reporting days, Dallas County officials have announced 5,835 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus for an average of 834 per day.

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.

With the 13 deaths added Tuesday, there have now been 2,666 deaths in the county attributed to the virus since March 2020. The latest victims announced included people whose ages ranged from their 30s to their 90s.

• A man in his 30s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He was found deceased at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Lancaster. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Sunnyvale. He expired at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Irving. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He expired at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Richardson. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 70s was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had been hospitalized.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Garland. He died in the facility and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 80s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Irving. He died in hospice and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 90s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. He died in the facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

COVID-19 VACCINE EFFORTS

Dallas County currently operates a large-scale vaccination hub at Fair Park where they can vaccinate up to 2,000 people per day. The vaccination center does not accept walk-ups and you must have an appointment to get vaccinated. Register for an appointment at the link below.

The Fair Park vaccine hub is closed through Wednesday due to inclement weather. The winter weather may necessitate further closures.

This week, FEMA announced the Fair Park location, along with AT&T Stadium in Arlington, would soon be mass vaccination hubs where more than 10,000 people per day could receive the vaccine. Those hubs are expected to be open by Feb. 24.

Jenkins said Tuesday the county has administered 43,823 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine at the county's Fair Park vaccine hub since it opened on Jan. 11.

The judge reiterated that those who have received their first shot of the vaccine do not need to make an appointment for their second dose -- the date of the second appointment, he said, is on the back of the vaccination card received when the first dose was administered.

"As individuals are vaccinated, it’s critical that we don’t let up our guard and that we continue using those personal protective measures until we reach herd immunity to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Once you receive the vaccine, you still need to wear your mask, wash your hands, stay at least six feet away from others, and avoid crowds," Jenkins said.

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.

Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows where COVID-19 vaccines have been sent around the state. Click on a marker to find out information about each location. Use the "plus" and "minus" signs below to zoom in and out of the map.

From the Texas DSHS: Availability of COVID-19 vaccines lilsted on this map are based on shipping information and reporting to the DSHS directly by facilities. Please contact providers in advance to confirm vaccination location and hours, that they have vaccine on hand and that you are eligible for vaccination at that site. Not all providers are vaccinating the public or people in all priority groups. Vaccine is available at no charge, regardless of insurance status.