DENTON COUNTY, Texas — Note: The video above is about vaccines being delayed due to the winter storm.
As the country surpassed 500,000 COVID-19 deaths on Monday, Tarrant County is reporting 22 additional deaths and Denton County is reopening a vaccine site.
Texas Motor Speedway is reopening on Wednesday to give people their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Denton County Public Health is prioritizing second dose appointments, which are limited as the county awaits additional shipments of vaccines, the county said.
People must have appointments through the DCPH Vaccine Interest Portal.
There will be 3,000 shots give from 6:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday.
On Thursday, there will be 11,000 shots distributed from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On Friday, there will be 9,000 shots given from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The county will continue with first dose appointments on the week of March 1.
“We are excited the weather will be much safer this next week and we can begin offering second dose appointments,” Judge Andy Eads said in a statement. “We know those due for second doses are anxiously awaiting their email or text appointments from us, and we are eager to vaccinate them this week.”
Dallas County vaccinations to resume Tuesday at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center; Fair Park closed
The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center will resume vaccination Tuesday, Mayor Eric Johnson said Monday.
The city of Dallas will give out 2,500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and Methodist Dallas Medical Center will also give out 2,500 first doses between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Those doses were originally set to be distributed last week before the winter storm hit.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the City of Dallas will start administering second doses to people who have received a first dose in the previous weeks. The city said 3,000 second doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be distributed, and MEthodist will provide an additional 2,000 second doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
Starting on Sunday, the City of Dallas will distribute 5,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
Fair Park, however, will be closed Tuesday due to a delay in receiving vaccine shipments.
Dallas County reports 348 new cases, 18 more deaths
Dallas County officials are reporting 348 new cases of COVID-19, 278 of which are confirmed and 78 are probable. There are also 18 additional deaths.
"Today we report another 348 new COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths. Our new case count is still low from the lack of reporting due to the weather but should return to accurate numbers soon," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins in a statement.
There have been 2,856 deaths in the county and 243,040 confirmed cases.
The deaths include:
- A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Grand Prairie. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 50’s who was a resident of the City of Carrollton. He had been hospitalized and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 60’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. He had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Cedar Hill. He had been hospitalized and had underlying health conditions.
- A woman in her 70’s who was a resident of the City of Dallas. She had been critically ill in an area hospital and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. He died in the facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 70’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. He had been hospitalized and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Rowlett. He had been hospitalized and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. She died in hospice and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
- A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the City of Irving. She died in hospice and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
A man in his 80’s who was a resident of the City of Richardson. He had been hospitalized and did not have underlying high-risk health conditions.
A woman in her 80’s who was a resident of the City of Garland. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
A man in his 90’s who was a resident of the City of Desoto. He died at home and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
A woman in her 90’s who was a resident of a long-term care facility in the City of Dallas. She died in a facility and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
A woman in her 90’s who was a resident of the City of Richardson. She had been hospitalized and had underlying high-risk health conditions.
Tarrant County reports 415 new cases, 22 additional deaths
Tarrant County is reporting 22 additional deaths related to COVID-19 and 415 new cases of COVID-19.
There have been 2,789 deaths in the county since tracking began last March.
Seventy-three percent of deaths in the county have been in the over 65 age group. Fifty-seven percent of deaths have been in males and 43 percent of deaths have been in females, officials said.
The deaths include:
- A woman from Arlington in her 90s
- A man from Fort Worth in his 90s
- A man from North Richland Hills in his 90s
- A woman from Benbrook who was in her 90s
- A woman from Keller who was in her 90s
- A man from Arlington in his 80s
- Two men from Fort Worth in their 80s
- A man from Watauga in his 80s
- A woman from Mansfield in her 80s
- A woman from Watauga in her 80s
- A woman from White Settlement in her 80s
- A woman and a man from Fort Worth in their 70s
- A man from Arlington in his 70s
- A man from Colleyville in his 70s
- A man from Euless in his 70s
- A man from Haltom City in his 70s
- A man from unincorporated Tarrant County in his 70s
- A woman from Fort Worth in her 60s
- Two men from Fort Worth in their 40s
All but one person had underlying health conditions, Tarrant County Public Health officials said.
COVID-19 vaccines
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and their shipping partners have indicated that the delayed shipments from last week should be delivered in the first half of the week.
They will start shipping out the vaccine allocation for this week after they finish shipping out the doses that were delayed from last week.
People who have gone more than six weeks since getting their first dose should still get their second dose as soon as possible. They do not need to start over.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services:
- Total people vaccinated: 3,110,611
- People up to date (2nd dose not yet due): 1,159,174 or 37.27%
- People complete: 1,349,056 or 43.37%
- People due: 506,193 or 16.27%
- People overdue: 96,188 or 3.09%
- Same provider for both doses: 1,162,311 or 86.16%
- Different provider both doses: 186,745
Denton County reports 991 new cases, 16 additional COVID-19 deaths
Denton County health officials are reporting that 16 additional deaths were related to COVID-19. Officials also announced 991 new cases in the county due to a case backlog from the winter weather last week, said Denton County Public Health Director Dr. Matt Richardson in a statement.
He said there is continued COVID-19 transmission in the county.
There have been 61,156 cases in the county since tracking began last March.
"This pandemic news is improving, but it’s not over,” Richardson said in a statement.
Denton County Judge Andy Eads asked people to keep those who died and their families in their thoughts and prayers.
“Though we are vaccinating more individuals weekly, we should all continue to wear masks, socially distance, and wash and sanitize hands frequently to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Denton County,” Eads said in a statement.
There have been 398 deaths in the county since tracking began in March 2020.
The deaths include:
- A male over 80 who was a resident of Lewisville
- A male over 80 who was a resident of Inspired Living in Lewisville
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Autumn Leaves of North Carrollton at Castle Hills
- A male in his 50s who was a resident of Carrollton
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Dallas
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Summertime House in Lewisville
- A male in his 60s who was a resident of Denton
- A male in his 60s who was a resident of Denton
- A male in his 60s who was a resident of Denton
- A male in his 70s who was a resident of Denton
- A male in his 60s who was a resident of Denton
- A female in her 70s who was a resident of Denton
- A male in his 60s who was a resident of Denton
- A female over 80 who was a resident of The Colony
- A male in his 60s who was a resident of Denton
- A female over 80 who was a resident of Bethesda Gardens Frisco
TDCJ announces employee’s death related to COVID-19
A woman who worked as a correctional officer at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has died due to COVID-19.
Tawiwo Obele, 68, worked with the department for two years at the Beto Unit in Palestine.
She tested positive on Jan. 31, 2021.
She was hospitalized on Feb. 9 with COVID-19 symptoms but was released the same day. She later was ill and had to be transported to a Tyler hospital.
She died on Feb. 16.
"Officer Obele was a well-respected faithful teammate who was known as a mother figure to all,” said Kirt Stiefer, TDCJ Beto Unit Senior Warden. “She would often pray with others and enjoyed sharing her passion of Christ. Officer Obele will be truly missed by the many that were blessed by having her in their lives.”
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has had forty employees who have died in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
American Airlines could furlough over 2,700 people in D-FW this spring
American Airlines, one of the largest employers locally, could furlough over 2,700 and lay off nearly 500 more employees in Dallas-Fort Worth this spring, according to a letter the airline sent the Texas Workforce Commission earlier this month.
American Airlines Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: AAL) told all employees Feb. 4 that up to 13,000 could be furloughed come April after federal financial aid runs out. The 2,760 furloughs are expected to be temporary, while another 488 employee separations are expected to be permanent, American said in the letter.
