Dallas County Adds 40 New COVID-19 Deaths Friday; Vaccine Shots Are 22K Behind

Dallas County is reporting another 40 COVID-19 deaths Friday along with another 290 new cases of the virus, a lower number, county officials say, driven by lower testing and reporting delays due to winter storms. Meanwhile, the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is falling way behind due to the storms.

“Next week reporting should return to normal and we can see what the true numbers are. The trends we were seeing before the ice storms were encouraging and I'm hopeful that we are beginning to turn the corner in the fight against COVID," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

Of the cases reported Friday, the county said 192 were confirmed cases and 98 were probable (antigen test) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county from March 2020 to 242,286 and the number of probable (antigen test) cases to 34,053. The total of confirmed and probable cases in the county is now 276,339. Over the last seven reporting days, Dallas County officials have announced 3,738 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus for an average of 534 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 40 deaths added Friday, there have now been 2,791 deaths in the county attributed to the virus since March 2020. The latest victims announced included people whose ages ranged from their 40s to their 90s.

• A man in his 40s 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 50s who was a resident of the City of Balch Springs. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 50s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. He died in a hospital ED and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 50s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 50s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. She had been hospitalized.
• A woman in her 60s who was a resident of the City of Garland. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He died in a hospital ED and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60s 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 60s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60s 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 60s 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 60s who was a resident of the City of Farmers Branch. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 60s 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 woman in her 60s 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 60s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Mesquite. He had been hospitalized 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 died in a facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 60s who was a resident of the City of Coppell. 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 Mesquite. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He 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 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 Dallas. 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 the City of Dallas. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Irving. He died in the facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 70s who was a resident of the City of Duncanville. 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 the City of Duncanville. 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 Dallas. She 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 Dallas. She had been hospitalized.
• A man in his 70s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He died at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 80s 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 80s 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 woman in her 80s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She died at home 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 Sunnyvale. 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 Mesquite. She died in the facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 80s who was a resident of the City of Rowlett. She died in a facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 80s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She died at home 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 Garland. He died in the facility and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
• A woman in her 90s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Mesquite. She had been hospitalized 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.

The Fair Park vaccine hub is closed through Sunday due to inclement weather.

Jenkins said the Metroplex is close to 200,000 shots behind in vaccinations due to this week's winter weather.

"At Fair Park alone, we are 22,000 shots behind," Jenkins said. "We will begin vaccinating again Sunday with anyone whose second dose was due on or before Feb. 12 and work on second doses until we are caught up and then catch up on our first dose allotments."

FEMA announced last week the Fair Park location, along with AT&T Stadium in Arlington and NRG Stadium in Houston, 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. It's not clear if the winter storm will delay that opening.

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.