TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — Tarrant County's COVID-19 community level has moved to a "high" level, according to the county's dashboard.
To find out the COVID-19 community level, county officials look at the following:
- First, determine whether Tarrant County in the past 7 days has fewer than 200 new cases per 100,000 people in cases or more than 200 per 100,000 people in the past 7 days
- Then, determine the level (low, medium, or high) for the new admissions and inpatient beds and indicators using the scale for the area’s number for new cases.
- The COVID19 community level is based on the beds metrics.
As of June 25, Tarrant County has seen 202 new cases per 100,000 residents.
Under county guidelines, there are two thresholds for a "high community level" designations when there is a seven-day average of 200-plus new cases:
- The seven-day average of new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 people must be 10% or more. That metric in Tarrant County is 12.84%, according to the dashboard.
- The seven-day average of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients must be 10% or more. That metric in Tarrant County is 3.5%, according to the dashboard.
The total bed occupancy rate in Tarrant County was 85% and adult ICU occupancy rate was 81%.
The county had previously moved into medium level on June 27.
Here are the recommendations from Tarrant County under a high community level:
Individual- and household-level prevention behaviors
- Wear a well-fitting mask1 indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in K12 schools and other indoor community settings)
- If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
- Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection
- Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed
- Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)
- Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
- Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies
- If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease
- consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
- consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
- Stay up to date with COVID19 vaccines and boosters
- Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
- Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID19 or have symptoms of COVID19
Community-level prevention strategies
- Consider setting specific recommendations for prevention strategies based on local factors
- Implement healthcare surge support as needed
- Protect people at high risk for severe illness or death by ensuring equitable access to vaccination, testing, treatment, support services, and information
- Consider implementing screening testing or other testing strategies for people who are exposed to COVID-19 in workplaces, schools, or other community settings as appropriate
- Implement enhanced prevention measures in high-risk congregate settings
- Distribute and administer vaccines to achieve high community vaccination coverage and ensure health equity
- Maintain improved ventilation in public indoor spaces
- Ensure access to testing, including through point-of-care and at-home tests for all people
- Communicate with organizations and places that serve people who are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe disease to ensure they know how to get rapid testing
- Ensure access and equity in vaccination, testing, treatment, community outreach, support services for disproportionately affected populations
In Dallas County, the COVID-19 risk level moved from green to yellow on Wednesday. The seven-day average of new cases in Dallas County is 472, according to the county dashboard.
