Dallas County

Dallas County Experiences ‘Deadliest Week' of COVID-19 Pandemic for 3rd Straight Week

The total of confirmed and probable cases in the county is more than 266,000 in Dallas County since March 2020

NBC 5

Dallas County is reporting 1,024 new COVID-19 cases Saturday along with 10 more reported deaths from the virus. With the latest fatalities, the county has reported 228 deaths over the last seven days, signifying the deadliest week of the pandemic for the third week in a row.

While the number of fatalities linked to the coronavirus in Dallas County continues to rise, the number of daily cases reported has decreased significantly in the last three weeks -- from a seven-day average of 2,487 on Jan. 17 to 1,348 on Saturday.

With the Super Bowl being played Sunday, health officials are urging people not to gather in large groups in hopes of continuing the incremental progress in new case numbers.

"What's also unique about the Super Bowl Sunday gathering is the amount of inherent excitement and jubilation and sometimes lament that goes along with that celebration," said Dr. Mark Casanova, president of the Dallas County Medical Society. "In other words, there's a lot of yelling. And we know that with a greater amount of yelling and projecting of voice comes a greater amount of viral spread."

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.

Of the cases reported Saturday, the county said 867 were confirmed cases and 167 were probable (antigen test) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county from March 2020 to 234,210 and the number of probable (antigen test) cases to 32,125. The total of confirmed and probable cases in the county is now 266,335. Over the last seven reporting days, Dallas County officials have announced 9,435 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have been trending downward for more than two weeks. Last Friday, Jan. 29, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Dallas County dropped below 1,000 -- the number reported Saturday was 818 patients through Friday.

With the 10 deaths added Saturday, there have now been 2,407 deaths in the county attributed to the virus since March 2020. The latest victims announced Saturday included people whose ages ranged from their 60s to their 90s.

  • 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 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 80s 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 80s who was a resident of the city of Dallas. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 80s who was a resident of the city of Mesquite. 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 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 Dallas. 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 Dallas. She expired in a facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A man in his 90s who was a resident of the city of Dallas. He expired in hospice care and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
  • A woman in her 90s who was a resident of the city of Lancaster. She expired in hospice care and had underlying high-risk health conditions.

COVID-19 VACCINE EFFORTS

In partnership with the state health department, Dallas County opened a large-scale vaccine hub at Fair Park in January where they planned to administer up to 2,000 vaccines per day for those in Phase 1A and 1B. 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 county is also planning on providing vaccines at two other locations in the county where they can administer an additional 1,000 vaccines per day.

On Tuesday, county officials said they planned to transition the Fair Park hub to a drive-through model that can administer up to 12,000 doses of the vaccine per day.

Dallas County Judge Jenkins said Saturday the county has administered 37,243 first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine at the county's Fair Park vaccine hub since it opened on Jan. 11. The county will receive 9,000 more first doses next week, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

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.

"With tomorrow being the Super Bowl, it is important that for this year’s celebration we limit it to the people that we live with to avoid the increased spread of COVID," Jenkins said. "We must use all the tools in the toolbox to have our best chance of controlling the spread and having our best hope of keeping ourselves and our community strong until the vaccine can be more widely dispersed, and we can begin to reach herd immunity."

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.

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