On Saturday, in the four large counties of North Texas, there were another 35 deaths from COVID-19 and another 1,815 new reported cases of the virus.
Details for Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties are below and are based on data reported Saturday, Feb. 27, by county officials, local health departments and the state health department.
Dallas County
Dallas County reported another 10 COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, along with 570 new cases of the virus. In the last seven days, the county announced 3,732 new and probable cases of virus, on average 533 per day and 135 deaths, on average 19 deaths per day.
As of March 2020, the county reported a total of 280,404 cases of virus, including 245,278 confirmed cases (PCR) and 35,126 probable cases (antigen). There were 2,951 deaths attributed to the virus; Currently, 264,544 recoveries are estimated, leaving an estimated 12,909 active cases in the county.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County Public Health added another 13 COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, along with 645 new cases of the virus. In the last seven days, the county announced 3,576 new and probable cases of virus, on average 510 per day and 97 deaths, on average 14 deaths per day.
As of March 2020, the county has reported a total of 241,650 cases of virus, including 205,676 confirmed cases (PCR) and 35,974 probable cases (antigen). There were 2,854 deaths attributed to the virus; There are currently approximately 222,139 recoveries, leaving an estimated 16,660 active cases in the county.
Denton County
Denton County Public Health reports another 349 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, with nine new deaths. Of the new cases reported, DCPH confirmed that 319 are active, while 30 have already deleted the recovery protocol.
As of March 2020, Denton County has reported a total of 63,994 cases of virus, including 48,806 confirmed cases (PCR) and 15,188 probable cases (antigen). There were 407 deaths attributed to the virus; Currently, 51,406 recoveries are estimated, leaving an estimated 12,180 active cases in the county.
Collin County
The Texas State Department of Health reported three new COVID-19 deaths in Collin County on Saturday, along with 175 other newly confirmed cases and 77 probable cases of the virus.
As of March 2020, DSHS reported a total of 83,100 cases of virus in Collin County, including 69,920 confirmed cases (PCR) and 13,180 probable cases (antigen). There were 719 deaths attributed to the virus; Currently, 68,759 recoveries are estimated, leaving an estimated 13,622 active cases in the county.
Want to get a waiting list for vaccines?
As the state begins distributing COVID-19 vaccines to those in Phase 1A and 1B, county health departments have begun waiting lists for those who want to be inoculated.
You can register now to get vaccinated in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties. The links are below:
Waiting list links: Collin – Waiting list search | Dallas | Denton | Tarrant
You do not have to be a county resident to register for a COVID-19 vaccine in that county – registration is open to anyone in Texas. For those without internet access, Tarrant County also makes registrations by phone at 817-248-6299. In Dallas County, call the DCHHS Vaccine Helpline at 1-855-IMMUNE9 (1-855-466-8639). In Denton County, call 940-349-2585.
The vaccine is currently given only to those in Phase 1A and 1B, as highlighted by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Those in Phase 1A are front-line health workers or residents of long-term care institutions. Phase 1B includes those over the age of 65 or those over the age of 16 with a chronic condition that puts them at risk for serious illness.
DSHS said on February 4 that it is continuing to discuss when to extend the availability of the vaccine to group 1C and whether or not that group will include teachers.
Once vaccinated, people are expected to get a certain level of protection within a few weeks of the first shot, but full protection may not happen until a few weeks after the second shot. Even when completely vaccinated, it is still possible to become infected with the virus because the vaccine does not provide 100% protection.
Texas DSHS recommends that the vaccine will not be available to the general public until late spring or early summer 2021.
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