For the latest on the pandemic in North Texas, visit KERA News' COVID-19 Live Updates page.
Saturday, April 3
Dallas County Reports 294 New Cases, 20 Deaths
The 20 deaths give Dallas County a cumulative total of 3,591. Saturday’s deaths include people who ranged in age from their 20s to their 80s.
29 New Cases In Collin County
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports 29 new COVID-19 cases in Collin County.
More Than 4 Million Texans Fully Vaccinated
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports 4,340,937 Texans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 11 million vaccine doses have been administered across the state.
Friday, April 2
Dallas County Reports 270 Cases, 21 Deaths
The 21 deaths give Dallas County a total of 3,571. Friday's reported deaths include people who ranged in age from their 20s to their 90s, and all but three people had underlying high-risk health conditions.
Reports of COVID-19 related deaths of two teachers in K-12 schools in Dallas County were confirmed Friday. An outbreak of over 70 cases has been reported associated with attendees at a high school dance and dinner on March 13th, including subsequent spread into their household members. During the past 30 days, there were 1,511 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and staff reported from 452 separate K-12 schools in Dallas County.
Texas Will Receive A Record 2.5 Million Vaccine Doses Next Week
More than 2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be shipped to providers across Texas next week. The Texas Department of State Health Services is allocating 1,094,920 first doses to 2,011 providers in 200 counties, the largest number of doses and providers to date. DSHS is ordering 626,290 second doses for people vaccinated a few weeks ago.
An estimated 900,000 additional first and second doses are expected to be available to pharmacy locations, federally-qualified health centers and dialysis centers as allocated directly by the federal government.
Texas has now administered more than 11.8 million doses, an increase of 1.8 million in the last week. Nearly 7.8 million people have received at least one dose, and more than 4.3 million are now fully vaccinated. Among Texas seniors, more than two-thirds have received at least one dose, and nearly half are now fully vaccinated. More than one-third of all Texans at least 16 years old have gotten a shot and nearly 1 in 5 are fully vaccinated.
Parents Sue Katy ISD For Keeping Mask Mandate, After Gov. Greg Abbott Lifted Statewide Requirement
A group of parents are suing the Katy Independent School District, calling its continued requirement for masks in schools unconstitutional and a violation of Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order fromlast month that lifted the statewide mask mandate, among other COVID-19 safety restrictions.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday by a Houston attorney for parents Bonnie Anderson, Jenny Alexander, Doug Alexander, Heather Calhoun and Stephen Calhoun, takes issue with the district’s current safety protocols for in-person schooling, specifically its requirement that students wear masks in hallways, buses, and other common areas.
When Abbott announced his executive order, he did not address the ways rescinding the mask mandate affected public schools. In a later interview with radio host Chad Hasty, Abbott said he expected the Texas Education Agency to leave the decision to require masks up to local school boards.
The agency’s updated mask policy has allowed “local school boards have full authority to determine their local mask policy,” according to its website. In public planning guidance, the agency also recommends the use of masks.
Under Katy ISD’s policies, students who don’t comply with the mask policy will be moved to online school and aren’t allowed to participate in other student activities. Those who have medical conditions that preclude them from wearing a mask must notify the school nurse and have documentation from their medical provider,according to the policy.
The lawsuit also argues under the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Brown v. Board of Education that forcing students to switch to virtual school is a form of “separate but equal” discrimination.
The Supreme Court case’s ruling focused on segregation between Black and white students in public schools and discrimination on the basis of race.
Read the full story by The Texas Tribune.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Changes Its COVID-19 Protocols
The Grapevine-Colleyville school district is changing its COVID-19 protocols. A mask mandate for classrooms remains in place.
But the Dallas Morning News reports the school board this week made using plexiglass optional in elementary schools, though it’s still recommended for use during lunch time.
Campuses can also welcome visitors and volunteers to campus.
The board said there also may be limited opportunities for outdoor events during the final nine-week grading period.
Spectators at UIL sporting events can now remove their masks once they're seated and socially distanced from others.
Thursday, April 1
President Biden Criticizes Texas Rangers’ Reopening Of Globe Life Field To Full Capacity
As the new Major League Baseball season begins today amid the pandemic, President Biden on ESPN last night criticized plans by the Texas Rangers to operate Globe Life Field in Arlington at full capacity with more than 40,000 people.
"I think it's a mistake,” Biden said. “They should listen to Dr. Fauci and the scientists and the experts. But, I think it's not responsible."
The Rangers play their first home game Monday. All fans will have to wear masks unless they're eating or drinking.
Dallas County: 327 New Cases, 23 Deaths
Todays report brings Dallas County's cumulative case count to 253,232, including 3,550 deaths.
The individuals whose deaths were reported today ranged in age from their 40s to their 90s.
"Other parts of the country are seeing an uptick in the number of COVIS-19 cases and we don't want that to happen here," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said on Twitter. "In order for us to continue seeing modest declines in our cases, we must continue to get vaccinated."
Jenkins said there are only 150,000 people who haven't been offered vaccine appointments on Dallas County's waitlist. He urged more residents to sign up.
237 New Cases In Tarrant County
Another 237 cases in the area raises the total to 251,106. There have been 3,300 deaths and 242,965 people who have recovered from the virus in the county.
Denton County Reports 96 Additional Cases
An additional 96 cases brings the total to 71,976. Of the cases reported today, 84 are active cases.
There have been 289 newly recovered cases in the area, raising the countywide recovery total to 65,477.
SMU Professor Says Students Are Missing Out On Social-Emotional Skills In Virtual Classrooms
Virtual learning has caused a number of students to slip academically. SMU professor Sherril English said many also miss out on social and emotional skills they typically go along with in-person instruction.
“When students are missing those types of opportunities, of course, there's loneliness. And they begin to feel like, you know, am I learning? Where's the routine of the classroom?”
English said that loss of interaction in the classroom will affect future success for students - especially disadvantaged youth and students of color.
She believes students can make up for those lost skills with community involvement: volunteering, shadowing a professional or getting a job.
She was among educators and experts yesterday in a virtual roundtable on how COVID's impacted the academic and mental well-being of students.
Wednesday, March 31
Mayor Johnson & Uber Partner To Give Free Rides To Vaccine Sites
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Uber are teaming up to provide free rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites for those who have difficulty accessing transportation.
"We are finally nearing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic with the help of these vaccines," Mayor Johnson said. "But as the supply increases, it is more critical than ever that we work to overcome barriers to vaccination so that we can inoculate as many Dallas residents as possible against this terrible virus.”
Uber will provide 2,000 promo codes for rides to Project Unity, a nonprofit that has been working on vaccination efforts.
Project Unity will be partnering with Catalyst Health Network to host a vaccination event called Together We Vaccinate on Friday, April 2 at St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church. The nonprofit will give out Pfizer vaccine doses to those who make appointments on their website.
"This vaccination process it has just clearly disclosed and unearth the inequities when it comes to how certain populations in our society has access to quality healthcare an others don't and we are definitely working to improve and to solve and address the gaps," Richie Butler, pastor at St. Luke and founder of Project Unity, said. "People trust the church, and people will go to the church. Sometimes we want people to come where we are but we have to go where they are."
The site will be a walk-up site where Uber drivers can pick up and drop off people instead of waiting in line.
Dallas County Reports 364 New Cases, 18 Deaths
There have been 364 additional cases, raising the total to 252,041. Of the cases reported today, 166 are confirmed. Today, 18 deaths were reported with patients ranging in age from their 50s to 80s.
So far, Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) has provided over 263,000 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said residents should continue wearing their masks and social distancing. He also urged residents to get vaccinated.
223 New Cases In Tarrant County
Another 223 cases brings the total to 250,869. There have been 3,290 deaths and 242,519 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.
Denton Reports 129 New Cases
The county reported 129 additional cases, 120 of which are active cases. This increases the total to 71,881.
There have been 369 newly recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 65,188.
Texas Will Provide Rapid COVID-19 Tests For Summer Camps
Texas will provide state-licensed summer camps with COVID-19 rapid tests in an effort to prevent potential outbreaks, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement Tuesday.
Last summer, most summer camps were shuttered across the country because of the pandemic.
The tests will be voluntary for both staff and campers. Summer camp organizers need toapply to participate.
"As normalcy returns to Texas, we must remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19 by identifying positive cases and mitigating any potential outbreaks," Abbott said in the statement. "I encourage qualifying summer camps to apply for this program so that we can continue to keep Texans safe."
Read the full story by The Texas Tribune.
Dallas Opera Announces Cancellations Of Upcoming Recitals
The Dallas Opera on Wednesday announced the cancellation of two upcoming recitals after a contractor associated with the concerts tested positive for COVID-19.
The first recital was expected to feature bass Morris Robinson on March 31 and the second recital was to star soprano Leah Crocetto and mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton on April 3.
All ticket holders will automatically receive a refund to their original form of payment.
Ian Derrer, The Kern Wildenthal general director and CEO, said the opera is “terribly saddened” to announce the cancellations.
“We have rigorous protocols in place for the health of everyone associated with our presentations, and while this situation proves that those protocols are working, we are terribly saddened nonetheless to have to make this announcement,” he said.
Derrer said the opera will resume its live events on April 9 and plans to announce new dates for the canceled recitals.
Patrons can call 214-443-1000 or visitdallasopera.org for more information.
Research On Pfizer Vaccine Shows 100% Efficacy In Adolescents
Clinical trial results of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine show 100% efficacy among 12 to 15 year olds.
Dr. Peter Hotez is the lead vaccine expert at Houston's Baylor College of Medicine. He told CNN Wednesday morning that's good news for schools and educators. He said he's hopeful vaccinations will be available to the younger age groups by this fall, to help the country reach herd immunity.
"The only way you get there — especially with all the vaccine hesitancy across the country still — is to vaccinate adolescents."
Pfizer plans to submit the data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as soon as possible for expanded emergency use authorization of the two-dose vaccine.
Tuesday, March 30
Dallas County Reports 281 Cases, 12 Deaths
The 12 deaths give the county a total of 3,509. Tuesday's deaths included people who ranged in age from their 50s to their 80s. All but one person had underlying high-risk health conditions, and four people were residents of long-term care facilities.
The county also passed the 250,000 mark in terms of administering vaccines at its Fair Park site. More than 252,000 doses have been administered at the site since it opened on Jan. 11.
Tarrant County Reports 153 Cases, Six Deaths
The deaths include a woman from Arlington in her 90s, a woman from Fort Worth in her 80s, a man from Arlington in his 60s, a man from Fort Worth in his 60s, a man from North Richland Hills in his 50s, a man from Arlington in his 40s. All had underlying health conditions.
Tarrant County now has 3,284 confirmed deaths and 242,147 people have recovered.
Denton County Reports 89 Cases, Four Deaths
Of the 89 cases reported by Denton County, 83 are active cases. The four deaths bring the cumulative county-wide total to 466. Tuesday's deaths included a man in his 50s, a woman in her 40s, a man in his 60s, and a woman in her 70s.
State Health Official Encourages Vaccination As COVID-19 Variants Spread
More than 500 cases of COVID-19 variants have been identified in Texas, most of which are the UK variant.
Imelda Garcia with the State Health Services department said it's especially important for Texans to get vaccinated with more contagious variants circulating.
“There are pockets. However, it has been found fairly widespread across the state and we continue to work with our local health department partners that are on the ground for these variants,” she said.
The department launched a centralized waitlist to register with a number of vaccination providers across the state.
There's more information at getthevaccine.dshs.texas.gov.
Rapid Testing Will Be Available For Texas Youth Summer Camps
Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced on Tuesday the creation of a COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program for Texas youth summer camps.
This program will help summer camps that are licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to conduct rapid tests of staff and campers during the summer months. Through this program, TDEM will provide participating summer camps with COVID-19 rapid antigen tests that will be administered to staff and campers who volunteer to participate.
"As normalcy returns to Texas, we must remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19 by identifying positive cases and mitigating any potential outbreaks throughout the state," said Abbott in a press release. "The COVID-19 Testing Program for Texas Youth Summer Camps will help camps safely operate throughout the summer by quickly identifying positive COVID-19 cases among campers and staff. I encourage qualifying summer camps to apply for this program so that we can continue to keep Texans safe from this virus."
Youth summer camps that are licensed by DSHS and wish to participate in the program can apply here.
New Report Reveals States Aren’t Providing Enough COVID-19 Data From Correctional Facilities
A new report from the University of Texas at Austin finds most states are not providing enough data on COVID-19 cases in prisons, jails and juvenile facilities.
Researchers assessed correctional agencies in all 50 states. The study's lead author Michele Deitch says the scarcity of data can make it difficult to understand how the pandemic is impacting these facilities.
"None of the agencies in Texas, the prison agency, the jails or the juvenile agencies, none of them report demographic data about cases, deaths, and vaccinations, which makes it very difficult to determine whether there is inequities in the impact of COVID."
Deitch adds Texas correctional agencies don't report data showing how cases and deaths have changed over time, making it hard to assess whether prevention strategies are working. More than 34,000 inmates in Texas prisons have tested positive for COVID-19 since last March.
Monday, March 29
Dallas County Reports 509 Cases, 16 Deaths
The 509 cases represent counts from Sunday and Monday, as Dallas County does not report numbers on Sundays. The 16 deaths give the county a total of 3,497.
Monday's reported deaths include people who ranged in age from their 40s to their 80s. All but one person had underlying high-risk health conditions.
Tarrant County Reports 235 Cases, Four Deaths
The deaths reported Monday include two women from Arlington in their 80s, a man from Fort Worth in his 50s, and a man from Arlington in his 30s. All had underlying health conditions.
Tarrant County now has 3,269 confirmed deaths and 241,583 people have recovered.
Denton County Reports 181 Cases
Of the 181 cases reported by Denton County on Monday, 171 are active cases. There are a total of 71,665 cases and 462 deaths in the county.
All Adults In Texas Are Now Eligible For The COVID-19 Vaccine. But There Still Aren’t Enough Doses For Everyone.
Starting Monday, all Texans ages 16 and older — about 22 million people — are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced. But as vaccine eligibility expands, actually getting the vaccine may be even more difficult.
Texas joins several other states in opening eligibility to all adults. DSHS said providers should continue to prioritize walk-ins and appointments for Texans 80 and older.
State health officials said Texas has no strictly enforced residency requirement to be vaccinated, but doses allotted to Texas are intended for those living, working or spending substantial amounts of time in Texas. DSHS spokesperson Chris Van Deusen said out-of-state residents have represented fewer than 1% of all people vaccinated in Texas.
Texas has administered more than 10 million vaccine doses, and the state will receive more than 1 million first doses this week, according to DSHS. The department also said it’s in the process of ordering more than half a million second doses for people who received their first shot a few weeks ago.
Still, vaccines remain in short supply, and it is difficult to secure an appointment to get vaccinated. The process often involves refreshing webpages over and over and trying to grab an appointment before they fill up — often in seconds. For Texans who do not have access to transportation or the ability to navigate technology, signing up for a vaccine appointment is nearly impossible.
Read the full story by The Texas Tribune.
Vaccine Eligibility Expands Today
Monday all Texas adults can register for COVID-19 vaccines, but counties who administer the shot say this won’t change much on the ground.
The four largest counties in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex say they’ll continue to follow whatever registration and appointment system was already in place.
Collin County contracts with the biotech firm Curative Medical Associates to run the site at John Clark Stadium in Plano.
The firm lets people book appointments online — first come, first serve.
Curative’s General Manager for Texas Jamil Sabbagh says people over 80 can get help in person.
“If those individuals who are above 80 years old need help registering for the vaccine appointment, we are more than happy to assist them in getting them set up,” Sabbagh said.
Curative also has a phone number for patients. Besides county sites, there are many places giving vaccines, including hospitals and chain pharmacies.
Texas House Considers Lifting Its Mask Mandate
When Gov. Greg Abbott re-opened the state 100% in mid-March, state House lawmakers considered doing the same.
State House section 16 created special rules amid the pandemic. One required masks for all committee hearings and the other required face masks for floor sessions.
Those rules were proposed to be lifted now that the state no longer requires masks.
Dr. David Lakey is the Chief Medical Officer at the University of Texas.
“I’m concerned about Spring Break activity, and what has occurred in South Padre island. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see, here in Texas, an uptick, related to cases,” he said.
Lakey advised lawmakers to wait six more weeks for COVID-19 cases to drop before making changes.
Texas Manufacturing Activity Picked Up Sharply In March
The Dallas Fed's production index, a key measure of manufacturing conditions, jumped from 20 to 48 — the highest reading in the survey's 17-year history. New orders, hiring, and wages also increased in March.
The survey of more than a hundred manufacturing executives also included questions on the pandemic and last month's winter storm. Eight in 10 respondents said the severe weather and widespread blackouts forced them to shut down for an average of five days. When it comes to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus, 89% plan to require staff and customers to keep wearing face masks even though the governor has lifted the statewide mandate.
Research From UT Austin Shows There's A Lack Of Transparency About COVID-19 Data In Prisons Nationwide
There is a troubling lack of transparency about data regarding the spread, toll and management of COVID-19 in state prisons, local jails and state-run juvenile facilities, according to a new report from researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.
Researchers say this data gap means that policymakers and the public do not know whether people in custody or staffers who work in these facilities are safe. They also cannot assess the risks to surrounding communities, and they do not know whether correctional management policy responses are effective or equitable.
Although some agencies, primarily state prison agencies, are publishing the most essential information about the number of COVID-19 cases, many others — particularly jails and juvenile agencies — are not providing even basic data. And fewer agencies of any kind provide information about other key metrics, such as demographic breakdowns of the data by race, ethnicity, age and sex.
For prisons, every state tracks and reports at least a minimal level of data with respect to the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, usually broken down by facility. And almost every state also provides this data on their prison agency websites, usually on a clearly marked data dashboard. But few states provide enough detail to help interpret these numbers, and very few provide other critical data. Most state prison agencies earn only a “C” or “D” for transparency about COVID-19 data, yet these scores are significantly higher than those for jails and juvenile agencies.
Here is a breakdown of all the grades and data across the nation. Texas get a C+ for state prisons, a D for local jails, and a D for juvenile facilities.
Read More: A Timeline Of COVID-19's Spread In North Texas
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
