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Connecting You With City Information, News, and Resources
The Latest COVID-19 Update
Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn
Hello District 12,

There have been many, many questions about COVID-19 lately, from the vaccine to the affects it is having on health and well-being. I wish I could answer all your questions, but the reality is the City of Dallas doesn't have responsibility for health issues, we contract with the County as our medical provider.

That said, I'm happy to aggregate the COVID information and share it with you so you can access the care that is right for you.

In District 12, we have 3 counties (Dallas, Collin, and Denton), so please read the information below for the area that you live in. The vaccine distribution is by county.
The City of Dallas received 2000 doses of the vaccine. Please read below to learn how they were used.

The bottom line is the vaccine doses are very limited today, but The State of Texas assures us the supplies continue to come in and there will be doses available for everyone in time.

We're all sick of this (literally), but it isn't over yet and the vaccine just isn't widely available yet.

I pray you and your family stay healthy. If you'd like to reach out for help, the quickest way is by email.
Cara
COVID-19: 2,000 Doses Came to the City of Dallas
The City of Dallas has effectively administered all 2,000 vaccines allocated by the State for first responders, bringing a close to the first-round administration efforts at the KBH convention center.
 
The operation for administering the 2,000 vaccines was originally expected to last up to two weeks; thanks to the hard work and diligence of all agencies involved in planning and coordinating, the allotment was distributed well ahead of expectation.
 
Factoring in those first responders vaccinated through Parkland Hospital and Dallas County, the total number of first responders to receive their first dose stands at 2,149. The process for the administration of the second dose will be largely identical to the first, as arrangements are already in place to utilize KBH convention center and repeat the process.
COVID-19: Additional Dollars are coming from
Federal Government for North Texas Food Bank
We've all been shocked and saddened by the soaring increase in need for food assistance during COVID-19. The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 gave The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) an extra $400M for food purchases with up to 20% of that to be used to cover storage and distribution costs. The North Texas Food Bank will receive part of this funding.
COVID-19: Update from the State of Texas
The State of Texas Health & Human Services Vaccine Information can be found at https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine.aspx and includes a list of prioritization groups and locations that have received the vaccine doses.

More than 550,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses are headed to Texas this week, including 58,000-plus allocated for the Dallas Region. Supplies are still limited and eligible people should call their health care providers and local pharmacies for more information. Kroger and Tom Thumb have waiting lists and some doctors have received shipments.

Here is a full article about it from the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce:
COVID-19: UTSW & Texas Health Resources Study
UT Southwestern has expanded its DFW COVID-19 Prevalence Study which is designed to reveal how widely COVID-19 has spread and why some communities are hit harder than others. The Study will allow anyone who lives in Dallas and Tarrant County the opportunity to register online and participate. 
 
Volunteers are needed specifically from African American and Hispanic communities.

Participants will get a free COVID-19 PCR test for active infection, a free COVID-19 antibodies test to see if they have ever been infected and quick test results and advice on next steps if you test positive. Below is a flyer about how you can participate.

Also below are results to date of the study for the DFW area and for Dallas County.
COVID-19: Collin County Update
Collin County launched a vaccine wait list at: https://www.collincountytx.gov/healthcare_services/Pages/COVID19vaccines.aspx for Collin County residents who meet the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Phase 1A and 1B definitions for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

The online form will take requests in the order received, let registrants know where they are in line for the vaccine, and then notify them when vaccines become available from the county’s health department and schedule appointments.

Last week, Collin County Health Care Services received 1,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which accounts for approximately six percent of the 17,000-plus doses initially shipped to 23 pharmacies, hospitals, and primary care providers across the county.

The county has yet to receive any new shipments of the vaccine from DSHS. The county receives short notice on vaccine shipments and will post vaccine availability on its website www.collincountytx.gov. The original 1,000 vaccine doses have been administered or scheduled for people in Phase 1A and 1B categories.

Due to the limited volume of vaccines available to Collin County, individuals are encouraged to contact their primary health care provider and their local pharmacy to inquire about additional vaccine availability. Please note that most private health care providers (pharmacies, hospitals, physicians) maintain their own vaccine waitlists separate from the Collin County Health Care Services waitlist.

You are eligible for this wait list if you live in the City of Dallas and reside in Collin County.
COVID-19: Denton County Update
Everything you need to know about the vaccine in Denton county is here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7c802a848ce04a0999f9831f2ddaaf2e

Like Dallas and Collin Counties, they do not have any doses of the vaccine available for 1B residents right now. They give many helpful tips on other places and ways to get the vaccine.

There are 64 known active cases of COVID-19 in Denton County right now.

You can get free testing from Denton County at a drive-thru test site on Friday, January 8, 2021 at North Central Texas College’s Exchange Parking Garage at 319 E. Sycamore St in Denton. Eligible community members must reside in Denton County, pre-register by calling 940-349-2585, and have not previously tested positive for COVID-19. Pre-registration is required with appointments starting at 8 AM.
COVID-19: Dallas County Update
Per the Dallas County website, "COVID-19 Vaccine is still in very limited supply and is still being prioritized to Phase 1A Healthcare Workers. However, limited supplies of vaccine may be available for persons who meet the Phase 1B criteria (Persons 65 and older, or persons 16+ with underlying medical conditions)."

Please reach out to your healthcare provider to see if they are offering the vaccine. More vaccines are coming, so if they are not available currently, they should be soon. Many local large hospital systems have access to the vaccine and are prioritizing 1A eligible individuals. If you are not a patient at one of these locations, both Kroger and Tom Thumb will distribute the vaccine and you may be eligible to receive it now if you fall in the 1A prioritization group. 

You can sign up for the Dallas County wait list for the vaccine here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination.php. This wait list is for the residents of City of Dallas AND Dallas County only.
Need help, got a question, or want to give input?

Email: Cara.Mendelsohn@DallasCityHall.com
Office phone: (214) 670-4067
Text phone: (214) 490-1036