COVID-19 Bulletin (12/16/20)
Parkland begins vaccinations of the staff. FDA approves an at-home COVID-19 test that doesn t require a prescription.
By Will Maddox
Published in
Healthcare Business
December 15, 2020
8:37 pm
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins reported
1,947 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, with six deaths. “It will still be some time before the general public will have broad access to the vaccines with the government working to get it to people in the order of their degree of risk,” he tweeted.
Parkland Health and Hospital System began administering the COVID-19 vaccine to employees today, giving hope to many who have suffered greatly working through the pandemic.
“You cannot catch COVID from the vaccine. The vaccine does not include any of the virus,” he said.
Patients who are sick from the virus now occupy 40% of the intensive care beds in Dallas County Hospitals, according to the DFW Hospital Council CEO Steve Love.
He told Dallas County Commissioners Tuesday it is the highest COVID-19 ICU rate to face hospital workers so far in the pandemic.
“Many of them are fatigued. As you all know, they re healthcare heroes,” Love said.
County Health Director, Dr. Philip Huang, said vaccine distribution is based on state and national advice.
“The guiding principle for how this will be allocated, protecting hospital workers, protecting front line workers, protecting vulnerable populations,” Huang said.
Updated on December 16, 2020 at 11:10 pm
NBCUniversal, Inc.
Dallas County added a record of 2,438 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 Wednesday along with 12 more deaths attributed to the virus. Today’s number of 2,438 cases is 250 more new cases than we have ever experienced in any one day. We also are reporting 12 more deaths from COVID today. With the unprecedented high spread we are experiencing, it is important that people plan ahead to avoid crowds, said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins in a statement.
Of the cases reported Wednesday, the county said 1,942 were confirmed cases and 496 were probable (antigen test) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county from March to 149,533 and the number of probable (antigen test) cases to 16,697. The total of confirmed and probable cases in the county is now at 166,230. Over the last seven days, Dallas County officials have confirmed 13,942 confirmed and probable cases of the virus.
Updated on December 14, 2020 at 5:00 pm
NBCUniversal, Inc.
Dallas County added another 1,699 new cases of COVID-19 Monday along with six more deaths attributed to the virus.
Of the cases reported Monday, the county said 1,519 were confirmed cases and 180 were probable (antigen test) cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county from March to 146,042 and the number of probable (antigen test) cases to 15,803. Over the last seven days, Dallas County officials have confirmed 12,010 confirmed and probable cases of the virus. It is an exciting day for America and for Dallas County as the first COVID vaccines are being given today, but remember, as these 1,699 cases and six deaths illustrate, COVID is still with us. Last week was our deadliest week and we are currently at our highest daily average of new COVID cases that we have seen thus far in the pandemic, said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
Dallas County working on COVID-19 vaccine awareness campaign to educate skeptics, Judge Jenkins says
Judge Clay Jenkins said the county would focus on communities more likely to get the virus, medical deserts and areas where healthcare options aren t well known.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins Author: Matt Howerton Updated: 2:23 PM CST December 15, 2020
DALLAS, Texas Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said Monday that he and the county s Health and Human Services department will be collaborating with local health professionals and community leaders on a vaccine awareness campaign that will be rolled out soon.
Jenkins informed WFAA about the campaign as hospitals in Dallas receive and administer their first doses of Pfizer s COVID-19 vaccine.