COVID Vaccinations On Hold For Now
With all the power outages and history-making winter weather, the pandemic has taken second place in attention this week.
But a quick update: Dallas County announced Wednesday that it would continue to keep the Fair Park vaccine center closed through Saturday.
“We are continuing to monitor the weather and are balancing the need to keep everyone safe against the urgency of timely administering the second doses of the vaccine,” county officials said in a written statement. “As soon as we can safely open again, we will.”
The county also said that there is enough supply to make sure that everyone that was slated to get a second dose this week will be able to do so.
“When we reopen, only those needing second doses will be seen until we catch up, and we will start with those who are most delayed in their second dose,” the statement said. “Please be patient as there are many who need their second dose and we must space out individuals to ensure timely and safe delivery.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the second dose can be given as much as six weeks after the first dose.
On Tuesday, county health officials reported 245 new positive cases of COVID-19 – 119 confirmed cases and 126 probable cases.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said that the numbers were “artificially low” because of the weather hampering the reporting process.
“The overall trend though over the last two weeks has been very positive in that cases are declining,” he said. “Things are extremely difficult right now for everyone and social distancing may not be possible in some situations where families are taking in others. It is very important in these situations to use as much spacing as possible, wear your mask, wash your hands, and do all that you can to avoid the spread of COVID during this unprecedented weather emergency.”
The county also reported 13 deaths, including a Garland man in his 30s with high-risk medical conditions, who was found dead at his home. Three of the 13 were from Dallas.
