Dallas County residents who qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine in phases 1A and 1B can register online to be inoculated, the county health department announced on Saturday.
Online registration and pre-screening are for people to be vaccinated through Dallas County Health and Human Services, not for all county health care providers.
Health officials said Saturday’s vaccine supply was limited, but they expected more doses “in the coming weeks and months”.
“Currently, this DCHHS website will enroll only Dallas County residents and priority within 1B will be given to those with the highest vulnerability scores until more vaccine is available,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a statement. “In the meantime, we are working with the DFW Hospital Council and others to increase fair and rapid vaccination across the county.”
Click here to register and get more information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Phases 1A and 1B are determined by the Texas Department of Health Services.
“As more vaccines become available, we will work on the registration list and determine eligibility. We look forward to receiving additional allocations from the state soon so that we can continue to work with our partners and start meeting the needs of our community and turning the corner in the fight against this virus, ”Dallas County Director of Human Services and Health, Dr. Philip Huang said in a statement.
The launch of the COVID-19 vaccine continued this weekend across the state and country, as health leaders work to inoculate as many willing and qualified people in line.
Efforts to vaccinate early respondents resumed on Saturday at the Kay Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. This week, the city began vaccinating widely for the first respondents to the Dallas Fire-Rescue, the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas City Marshals after receiving 2,000 doses of the state’s Modern vaccine.
“At the moment, as we move forward with the launch process, we are learning how to do this perfectly,” said Dallas fire chief Dominique Artis. “This is the beginning of the exit from this dark tunnel. We can see the light. We are just trying to come to light now. “
Department spokesman Jason Evans said they hoped to complete the first allocation on Tuesday or Wednesday. There have been no significant operational challenges so far, said Evans.
“We administer them to frontline health workers in group 1A. So we are currently without a vaccine, ”said Jenkins. “We still have 1As to obtain, but we are trying to set up a system to open it up to 1B as well.”
In Dallas County, the DCHHS quota was not opened for people considered to be part of the “1B” group, which includes people aged 65 and over, plus 16 years or older with at least one chronic health condition. However, some entities, such as some hospitals and doctors’ offices, have already started offering vaccines to those in group 1B.
When widespread access to 1B will be available across the county is difficult to assess at this point, said Jenkins.
“It depends on the lot size. This will continually improve. CVS, Walgreens and others don’t have the resources to take 1B off the streets yet, but it will happen soon, “he said.” There will be such opportunities to obtain 1B. My hope is this weekend or perhaps Monday, that the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services will create a website for you to join the waiting list with us. “
Moving forward, he said he believed that better communication between the state and hospitals is needed. For now, he is asking people to remain vigilant with the COVID-19 protocols and to be patient while vaccination efforts increase.
“It doesn’t mean that we need to be patient and sit on the couch and wait for someone else, but we need to be patient and realize that you’re trying to give your grandma a chance, but 30 million Texans are trying to give your grandma a shot too “, he said.
* Map locations are approximate, central locations in the city and are not intended to indicate where the really infected people live.
** County totals below include all 32 northern Texas counties, not just Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant.