Dallas County commissioners agreed Tuesday to prioritize vaccinated homes in zip codes that appear to be most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. But leaders withdrew from the plan a day later after the state threatened to cut the city’s vaccine supply and said the plan “does not follow previously agreed guidelines.”
The underlined plan would have prioritized certain postal codes for the distribution of vaccines at the Fair Park County distribution center. The county would continue to follow the state-level system that determined which groups were eligible for the vaccine – but within those groups, residents of these zip codes would have priority.
During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners said setting priorities would mean “exhausting” all efforts to help people in vulnerable areas receive vaccination appointments every day open in the county’s online appointment system. Once they have made a “good faith effort” to do so, people in other areas could make appointments.
“You will always have little [of appointments] for the rest of Dallas County, “said Commissioner JJ Koch.” We do not rule them out. ”
An information document said the plan would require “vaccine distribution in Dallas County to begin with priority zip codes and move to the rest of the county when supplies allow,” adding, “When you move to the next level, distribution only needs to start with codes.” priority postal and do not include the entire county, unless there is a wide offer. ”
Tom Fox / AP
The county said it gave priority to the postal codes listed by the research firm PCCI as having high scores on the “vulnerability index”. According to the PCCI, the index assesses factors, including the prevalence of comorbidities, social distance capacity and socio-economic status. Most of the zip codes they had planned to prioritize, according to the Dallas interactive database, have some of the highest numbers of new cases in the last two weeks in the county.
Because the postal codes selected for priority are based on this system, the commissioners supporting the move agreed that priority areas could change if the data were moved.
These zip codes are mostly made up of black and Latino individuals, who the CDC says are more susceptible to contract, are hospitalized, and die from the disease.
Of the 79,010 living in zip code 75211, for example, 71,800 are black, Hispanic or Latino, according to the database, and more than 6,300 people are 65 years of age or older.
According to a briefing by the commissioners’ court, the Texas State Department of Health Services told the commission Wednesday that the order “does not follow previously agreed guidelines.”
CBS Dallas-Fort Worth reported that in the letter, the state warned that the plan conflicts “with the stated goals of DSHS and the state of Texas, to distribute the vaccine as widely and equitably as possible to communities across the state.”
Dr. Philip Huang, director of health and human services in Dallas County, said Wednesday at an emergency committee meeting that if the county does not cancel the plan by 8 a.m. Thursday, the state said it will no longer receive vaccines. scheduled.
“We have been reduced by 9,000 doses for next week, and if we do not hear that we will solve this, then they will either definitely reduce it or I think they will cancel our dose,” he said.
Commissioners voted on Wednesday to cancel the plan.
“We just have to do what they ask us to do,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. “Reject the order. We can return it another day.”
But Commissioner JJ Koch criticized Jenkins at the meeting, saying he was “insincere” with the state when he informed him about Dallas’ vaccination plan. Jenkins had sent a letter to the state about the commission’s plans to prioritize vaccines, CBS Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
“You have made it clear to the state that we completely exclude people who were not in those postal codes. That is not the case,” Koch said, saying that other people should and could have received the vaccines.
Last week, the county allowed only residents over the age of 75 to make vaccination schedules, according to CBS affiliate KYTX. Koch spoke out against the election at Tuesday’s hearing, arguing that the county’s current priorities exclude minority residents.
“Those over 75, those who have come this far in life, are richer and whiter. They tend to be those who live in single-family homes, have enough wealth and ability to keep themselves separate from other people. as if not to get the disease, “Koch said. “We are missing in that 65-75 [age range], [where] there are a lot of people who are Latin American, African-American, who are still in the workforce, in multi-generational family homes … and not in a position to separate from many other people. “
“We gave priority to people because of a number, without really looking at who those individuals in our geography are,” he said.
Chris Van Deusen, director of media relations for the Texas State Department of Health Services, told CBS News that vaccination center providers are required to “ensure that they vaccinate people in the most affected areas and populations, but they can’t do this except literally everyone else. ”
“In exchange for receiving an increased and consistent amount of vaccine, all hub providers have agreed to vaccinate people regardless of where they live, including in the surrounding counties. The purpose of being a hub is to provide vaccine to large communities, “Van Deusen said. “[Dallas County Commissioners Court] they can use some of their vaccine to target certain groups or areas, but they can’t do that at all and remain a hub provider. ”