For the latest on the pandemic in North Texas, visit KERA News' COVID-19 Live Updates page.
Saturday, July 3
North Texas Leaders Highlight Incentives For Vaccination
Dallas County Health and Human Services is offering 1,000 free tickets to Six Flags today to those getting vaccinated at Fair Park.
Today: 1,000 Six Flags tickets at Fair Park vaccination site. And remember: there are many other new incentives for people who receive their vaccine recently in Dallas and in North Texas, such as: https://t.co/vRQorClL2i;
— Clay Jenkins (@JudgeClayJ) July 3, 2021
https://t.co/PpwOEXvCzq and https://t.co/si8gnkwQli https://t.co/vFurNFtAyq
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has also partnered with the Dallas Foundation to launch a vaccine raffle. Eligible residents who receive a shot between June 1 and July 23 can win prizes including concert tickets, State Fair passes and tickets to sporting events. Winners will be notified by July 30.
Nearly 12 Million Texans Fully Vaccinated
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports 11,969,967 people are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 13 million Texans have received at least one dose.
Officials report more than 49% of Dallas County residents 12 and older are now fully vaccinated. In Tarrant County, about 48% of eligible residents are fully vaccinated.
Friday, July 2
Dallas County Reports 154 Cases, Four Deaths
The four deaths give Dallas County a total of 4,135. The deaths reported Friday included people who ranged in age from their 20s to their 70s, and all had underlying high-risk health conditions.
Denton County Reports 28 Cases, Four Deaths
The four deaths give Denton County a total of 621. The deaths reported Friday included people who ranged in age from their 50s to their 80s, and two were residents of long-term health care facilities.
UT-Southwestern Researchers Predict Hospitalization Increase
COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Texas are expected to increase in the coming weeks, as vaccination rates decline. That's according to a forecast released this week from UT-Southwestern Medical Center.
Forecasters point to the declining pace of COVID-19 vaccinations, relaxed social distancing and more transmissible variants of the virus spreading in North Texas.
The Alpha variant is the dominant one locally. But the Delta variant is becoming more prevalent in North Texas and around the country.
By July 19, Dallas County could see roughly 120 new COVID-19 infections per day, according to the forecast. Tarrant County could see about 140 new infections per day.
In most North Texas counties, people 65 and older make up the largest share of hospital admissions for COVID-19.
UT-Southwestern has launched an online portal where all Texans ages 12 and up can schedule a vaccination appointment. It's at utswmed.org/vaccines.
Parkland Closing Vaccine Clinics For July 4 Holiday, Changing Hours
Parkland Health & Hospital System's vaccination clinics will for the July 4 holiday. In addition, beginning Tuesday, July 6, Parkland will change the hours of operation for its two main vaccination sites.
The vaccine clinics will be closed the following days:
- Parkland Memorial Hospital, 5200 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, 75235 will be closed July 3 through July 5, reopening on July 6.
- Ellis Davis Field House, 9191 S. Polk St., Dallas, 75232 will be closed July 3 through July 6, reopening on July 7.
Effective July 6, the new hours for its two vaccination sites are:
Parkland Memorial Hospital
- 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and Tuesday
- 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday
- Closed Thursday through Saturday
Ellis Davis Field House
- 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday
- Closed Sunday through Tuesday
If this change affects your existing appointment, Parkland says you should come to one of the clinics during the new hours as close as possible to the original appointment date.
Thursday, July 1
Health Care Company Curative Hosts Pop-Up Vaccine Clinics
With demand for COVID-19 vaccines slowing, health officials have begun a more targeted approach.
Some North Texas counties and the health care company Curative are hosting pop-up vaccine clinics.
David Grove with Curative said they're reaching out to specific groups, like Hispanic communities, where vaccination rates are lagging.
"There's people that are wondering, ‘why are people still administering vaccine? Nobody wants it anymore,’” he said. “What they aren't seeing is there are those pocket communities that maybe aren't getting as much publicity that certainly are in need of it, and are still coming to get it."
Grove said Curative has administered about 115,000 doses in the Dallas-Fort Worth area so far.
Dallas County Reports 160 New Cases
An additional 160 cases raises the total to 263,151. Of the cases reported, 110 are confirmed. Three deaths were reported today: a Grand Prairie man in his 50s, a Dallas woman in her 60s and a Dallas woman in her 80s.
The county has administered over 495,000 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic.
92 More Cases In Tarrant County
There are 92 more cases in the area, bringing the total to 263,595. There have been 3,575 deaths and 257,944 people who have recovered from the virus in the area.
Denton County Announced 26 Additional Cases
Another 26 cases increases the total to 77,083. There are also 81 newly-recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 74,940.
A total of 617 deaths have been reported in the area.
Wednesday, June 30
More Than 40% Of Texans Are Fully Vaccinated As COVID-19 Cases And Hospitalizations Continue To Drop
Over 40% of Texans have been fully vaccinated, according to The Texas Tribune. A total of 24.7 million doses have been administered.
Meanwhile, new cases and hospitalizations are decreasing. The average number of new cases is dropping by 96 cases compared to the previous week. Hospitalizations have lowered by 48 patients since a week ago.
Health experts estimate 75% to 90% of Texans would need to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity. This is about 22 million people, or nearly 100% of adults in the state.
Read the full story by The Texas Tribune.
Dallas County Reports 139 New Cases
Another 139 cases in the area raises the total to 263,041. Of the cases reported today, 112 are confirmed.
Three deaths were reported today including: a Dallas man in his 40s, a Dallas man in his 60s, and a Desoto man in his 70s. A total of 4,128 Dallas residents have died from the virus.
92 More Cases In Tarrant County
There are 92 additional cases in the county, bringing the total to 263,503. A total of 3,568 deaths and 257,846 people have recovered from the virus in the area.
COVID-19 patients currently occupy 3% of the hospital beds in the county.
Denton County Announced 1 Death, 34 New Cases
One death of a woman over 80 at Beehive Assisted Living in Lewisville was reported today. A total of 617 people have died from the virus in the area.
An additional 34 cases were reported in the area, increasing the countywide total to 77,057. There have been 67 newly-recovered cases of the virus, increasing the countywide recovery total to 74,859.
Tuesday, June 29
Texas' Electricity Shut-off Moratorium Ends Today
Private electricity companies can turn people's electricity off for past-due bills beginning today. State regulators lifted a moratorium on disconnections after months of pressure from private industry.
About 250,000 households are behind on bills — and that's just in San Antonio and Austin, where the city-owned utilities have yet to announce when local shut-offs will resume. The average past-due amount is about $600.
The private energy conglomerates that dominate the deregulated market across most of the state, including in Houston and Dallas, refused to answer Texas Public Radio's questions about how many of their customers owe money.
Companies are required to offer an extended payment plan to people who ask for it.
Texas Public Radio's Dominic Anthony Walsh contributed this report.
76 New Cases & 2 More Deaths In Tarrant County
Tarrant County is reporting two more COVID-19 deaths. The deceased include a man from Arlington in his 70s and a man from Fort Worth in his 60s. Both had underlying health conditions.
The county now has 3,568 confirmed deaths from the COVID-19 and 263,411 cumulative cases. There are 76 new cases being reported today.
1 COVID-19 Death & 48 New Cases In Denton County
The death reported today brings the total to 616 deaths due to COVID-19 in Denton County. The individual was a man in is 60s from Carrollton.
There have been a total of 77,023 COVID-19 cases countywide.
Extra Child Tax Credit Payments Start Next Month
In mid-July, the U.S. government will start sending out the first of six monthly payments to millions of American families with children.
Earlier this year, Congress approved an expansion of the child tax credit as part of the American Rescue Plan — that's that huge pandemic relief bill proposed by the Biden Administration.
Most US families with children under 18-years-old are eligible to receive the monthly payments.
The federal government will send parents up to $250 per child aged 6 to 17, and as much as $300 for each child under 6.
The exact payment is based on family income and tapers off for higher income families.
For eligible parents who filed taxes the last two years, payments should start automatically in mid-July. They'll come as a check or a direct deposit from the Treasury.
Parents who did not file taxes because they weren't required to may need to take an extra step.
They can visit IRS.gov to make sure they're signed up to receive the Advance Child Tax Credit payments.
The deadline to do that is July 15.
Monday, June 28
Dallas ISD Hosts Pop-Up Vaccine Site
The Dallas school district's teaming up with Parkland Hospital to hold pop-up COVID-19 vaccine sites ahead of the new school year.
The first one runs from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. today at Samuell High School on Palisade Drive.
Students 12 and older can register for doses of the Pfizer vaccine, but minors need to have a parent or guardian with them. They'll also need a valid ID to get a shot.
The district's anticipating a full return to in-person instruction in the coming school year.
Dallas County Reports 133 New Cases
Another 133 cases brings the total to 262,710. So far, a total of 148 Dallas residents have contracted COVID-19 variants.
A total of 4,122 residents have died from the virus in the area. Today, two deaths were reported of a Dallas woman in her 70s and a Mesquite woman in her 80s.
34 Additional Cases In Tarrant County
There are an additional 34 cases, which increases the total to 263,335. There have been 3,566 deaths and 257,757 people who have recovered from the virus in the county.
Denton County Announces 85 More Cases
An additional 85 cases have been announced, of which 83 are active. That raises the countywide total to 76,975.
There are also 131 newly-recovered cases, increasing the countywide recovery total to 74,715.
Fort Worth Hosts Neighborhood Vaccination Clinics
The city of Fort Worth is holding several neighborhood vaccination clinicsthroughout the week.
Shots will be available for people 18 and older tomorrow morning from 9 to 11 at the Handley Meadowbrook Community Center.
Tomorrow afternoon from 2-4 p.m., doses will be distributed at the R.D. Evans Community Center.
There's a full list of sites at fortworthtexas.gov.
Read More: A Timeline Of COVID-19's Spread In North Texas
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