Dallas County requests large vaccination hub run by federal government

Dallas County requests federally-run COVID-19 vaccination site

Dallas County is asking the federal government to set up a new coronavirus vaccine site that can deliver up to 12,000 shots a day in North Texas.

DALLAS - Dallas County is asking the federal government to set up a new site to speed up vaccinations in North Texas.

The county is looking at a variety of ways to get more people vaccinated as quickly as possible.

The effort in our area and across Texas has improved in the last couple of weeks after an unsteady start. The state said a million Texans have gotten shots in the last two weeks.

It took more than double that amount of time to get the first million vaccinations done.

There’s now a hub run by the city of Dallas at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, along with others run by Dallas County including the mega-site at Fair Park.

But all locations have a supply issue.

That’s why Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins requested a federally run vaccination hub that could distribute up to 12,000 shots per day.

"Based on conversations I’ve had with the Biden administration, we are encouraged they will give serious consideration to our request to partner with Dallas County on this federally-led public health initiative of a mega vaccine site," he said.

"We’re not satisfied with the supply we’re getting so we continue to push on that regard," said Imelda Garcia with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The request for a hub run by the feds does not guarantee it will happen but more doses are coming to Texas soon.

The next weekly shipment will have 50,000 more doses than this week.

Jenkins also encouraged people who’ve registered to get vaccinated and are still waiting to apply to hubs outside their home counties to increase their chances.