Dallas County Adds 18 New COVID-19 Deaths Tuesday, 412 New Cases; Vaccinations Resume in Fair Park

Dallas County is reporting 18 COVID-19 deaths Tuesday along with another 412 new cases of the virus, a lower number, county officials say, driven by lower testing and reporting delays due to winter storms. Meanwhile. the county is resuming vaccinations and will be administering second doses this week.

"We believe this number is down because of the lack of testing during the power outages, but we also believe the numbers are trending in our favor. In the coming days, we will have a more accurate daily count as things return to normal.," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

Jenkins added that the county received their allotment of 15,000 second doses of the Moderna vaccine and that they'd begin administering those on Wednesday.

"We have received our allotment of the Moderna vaccine and now have 15,000 doses to catch up on second shots. We will be open for second doses that were due to be given on or before Tuesday, February 16 on Wednesday, Feb. 24," Jenkins said. "On Thursday, Feb. 25, we will give second doses for anyone needing a second shot on or before Feb. 17."

The judge added that Wednesday they will begin their federal partnership with the Biden Administration, FEMA and the Department of Defense to vaccinate the most underserved populations in Dallas County. 

"We will vaccinate approximately 3,000 persons per day in that partnership using Pfizer vaccine," Jenkins said. "When the federal troops finish with the 3,000 Pfizer first doses for underserved populations, they will then move to help us with Moderna second doses."

Jenkins apologized for the trouble people have had surrounding when and how to get their booster shots, but said that problem should be alleviated soon. He promised to keep sharing information on Twitter -- and that information will be published and updated in NBC 5's news reports.

"I know this is frustrating and not an ideal way to keep you informed [Twitter]. However, our initial first shots were done under an operating system that had to be replaced and we do not have contact information for many of you in need of second shots," Jenkins said. "In less than 10 days, all second shots will be under the new operating system and we’ll be able to get appointments for people and greatly improve the customer experience of both second and first shots. Please bear with us as we catch everyone up on their shots."

Of the new cases reported Tuesday, the county said 300 were confirmed cases and 112 were probable (antigen test) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county from March 2020 to 243,340 and the number of probable (antigen test) cases to 34,365. The total of confirmed and probable cases in the county is now 277,705. Over the last seven reporting days, Dallas County officials have announced 2,305 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus for an average of 329 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 18 deaths added Tuesday, there have now been 2,874 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 woman in her 30s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized.
• A man in his 60s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 60s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. She 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 Dallas. He had been hospitalized.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. 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 Irving. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 70s who was a resident of the City of Garland. She 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 a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 80s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 80s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He was critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 80s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 80s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Desoto. She died in the facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 80s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Garland. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 80s 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 the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 90s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She died in hospice and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Garland. She died in the facility and did not have 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.

Jenkins said last week the Metroplex is close to 200,000 shots behind in vaccinations due delays brought on by winter weather. The county is resuming administering second doses on Wednesday.

The federal site that opens in Fair Park Wednesday is a partnership between the county and FEMA; a second site will be located at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and a third at NRG Stadium in Houston. The mass vaccination hubs are expected to be able to vaccinate more than 10,000 people per day. Those hubs were expected to be open by Feb. 24.

Jenkins said 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.