Confusion surrounds vaccine distributions in Dallas, Tarrant counties

Tarrant and Dallas counties are trying to resolve the confusion over who can get a COVID-19 injection.

Although vaccines are being distributed by the state, the distribution seems different in each municipality.

People are hearing that the vaccine is in their area and are seeing other people lining up for it. But that doesn’t mean that anyone can get it, even if you fall into a certain category.

The offer is very limited. Procedures vary by county, and each county is still finding that out.

Tarrant County continues to distribute Phase 1B

Before Tuesday morning, at the Arlington Esports Complex, there were long lines of people who wanted to be vaccinated.

There are about 40,000 people eligible in Tarrant County to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Most are medical teams or first responders. But about one in four is part of Phase 1B: people over 65 or a person with underlying diseases.

The state is continuing to distribute the Phase 1B vaccine, but not all counties are still there. Those who are, like Tarrant County, are solving the main torsions.

Many people without an appointment or arriving too early are adding to the long lines and confusion at the county public health office.

The rush to get the vaccine also spawned long lines outside the Tarrant County Resource Connection in South Fort Worth.

It’s a point of frustration for Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley.

“It has to stop. It has to stop! Not only are we going to talk about it. But it has to stop!” he said.

Whitley pressured Tarrant County Public Health Director, Dr. Vinny Taneja, about the county’s plan to move forward.

“I can’t say how many calls I get from people who said, ‘I showed up at 10 am, when it was my appointment. I ended up in a line of miles long.

Dr. Taneja insists that the county team is checking appointments and making sure that registered people are eligible to be vaccinated during Phase 1A or 1B. He says the initial plans for installing Resource Connection changed quickly when the site became public.

“We only had our private closed POD operating at that time and the public started to appear. We cannot say no,” said Taneja.

“Yes, you can,” said Whitley. Yes you can!”

But Dr. Taneja says they did not reject these unregistered people because the state has instructed counties not to let any vaccines go to waste.

“It was when we allowed them to come and receive the vaccine to fill in the blanks,” said the health director.

The county is now in the process of identifying alternative vaccination sites with space for people to wait in their cars instead of in line.

The Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center in Fort Worth and the Hurst Convention Center are two possibilities at stake.

Commissioner Roy Brooks is asking for a location in each neighborhood.

“Community centers, libraries, churches, synagogues, mosques,” he said.

Remember that running a facility requires around 100 employees at each location.

“We want a smaller footprint in several areas, for more distributed access,” said Taneja.

Tarrant County vaccine registration information

Dallas County still focuses on frontline workers

In Dallas County, local leaders are still figuring out how to clarify public messages.

To date, vaccine providers in Dallas County have received just over 85,000 doses. The county is still focusing on first responders and frontline workers in group 1A.

“We are bigger than Tarrant County, so I imagine we have more health workers,” said Dallas County Health Director Dr. Philip Huang.

It is not yet ready for group 1B, although people are asked to register for the vaccine on the county’s website.

This is leading some to believe that they will soon receive a call, when it may still take weeks or even months.

“Because when people read this, they say, ‘My God! I’m on the list! I’ll get the vaccine! But when?’ This is lost in this message, “said Dallas County Commissioner, Dr. Elba Garcia.

If you access the Texas vaccine provider panel, you will see several pharmacies in the county with the vaccine. What the panel does not report is that these pharmacies are working only with long-term care facilities.

“All vaccines that have been to pharmacies so far are either going to nursing homes or also working with medical societies to cover other outpatient doctors and staff,” said Huang.

The question that many are asking is when people in the next phase will be vaccinated. The health authorities’ response is brief, but there is no definitive start date.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the state plans to send 2,000 doses a day starting next week. But there is no answer as to whether this will be a priority for the 35,000 in group 1A who have not yet been vaccinated.

“We want to move to 1B and are planning to move to 1B. There is still a limited vaccine available,” said Dr. Huang.

As for when the vaccine will be available to the general population, Dr. Huang says it can take several months.

“The expectation is that perhaps only in July or October there will be an adequate supply for the general population,” he said. “But underestimate that it is changing daily.”

Dallas county leaders say they are preparing for Phase 1B rollout as supply increases. They are considering mega-venues like the University of North Texas in Dallas, Fair Park or the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

“What we’re looking for is a very, very large footprint, with a large space with a lot of internal space for observations after taking the pictures,” said Jenkins.

The goal is to open a mega site by next week.

Dallas County Vaccine Registry Information