In a news release on Tuesday, Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas warned people hoping to get the COVID-19 vaccine at the hospital that there are several groups giving out bad information on social media.
However, multiple people reported the social media posts were true and that they successfully received a vaccine.
The hospital said "several social media groups" were "giving out incorrect information about the availability of vaccine at Parkland" and that people are then showing up to get vaccinated.
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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.
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Some people called NBC 5 to verify the posts that were circulating on social media were true. The information was not widely available or confirmed.
Others said they took a chance and ended receiving a shot over the weekend without having an appointment or being a Parkland patient.
"I got it at Parkland this morning (Sunday) at 9 a.m., got there at 9:03 a.m. and was out by 9:30 a.m.," said Janice Tomlin in an interview with NBC 5.
Tomlin said she put her name down on several waitlists, but hadn't heard back, so she took a chance to go to Parkland based on a Facebook post she read.
On Sunday, Parkland Hospital said there was a mix of walk-ins and appointments over the weekend. The appointments were for people getting their second dose after a walk-up that happened several weeks ago
On Tuesday, Parkland reiterated that it was only providing vaccines to people in Phase 1A or 1B and that those vaccines were administered by appointment only. People cannot simply show up at the hospital and expect to be vaccinated, according to the hospital system.
"The general public (non-Parkland patients) cannot bypass the county’s sign up process and schedule an appointment directly with Parkland. Any person trying to schedule vaccination with Parkland must have been first contacted by Parkland with instructions," hospital officials said in a statement.
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Parkland also provides vaccines for some individuals who signed up through the Dallas County Health and Human Services website at Dallas County COVID-19 vaccine, but those are also by appointment only.
Parkland said in its statement on Tuesday that it will not provide COVID-19 vaccines to anyone who does not have an appointment at Parkland or at their drive-thru locations.
