Dallas to open mega COVID-19 vaccine site at Fair Park
DALLAS - Dallas County is getting ready to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine on a large scale.
The vaccines will be available at Fair Park beginning on Monday to frontline workers, senior citizens and people with high-risk medical conditions – the so-called groups 1A and 1B.
But, everyone must have an appointment. No walk-ups will be allowed.
Those interested in getting on the list need to register online using the Dallas County COVID-19 Vaccine Registration form.
The number of appointments, of course, will depend on how many vaccine doses the county receives from the state each day.
Judge Clay Jenkins has asked the state for 2,000 shots per day but that’s not guaranteed.
The county will also begin offering vaccines by appointment only at its current COVID-19 test sites – the Ellis Davis Field House and on the Eastfield College Campus in Mesquite.
Those sites will be primarily for registered Parkland hospital patients and are expected to receive roughly 500 shots per day.
(Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Dallas County is preparing to open a vaccine mega site next week, but before that, state leaders are making an urgent plea to minority communities to register to get the shot.
Leaders want to make sure the communities hit hardest by COVID-19 aren’t left behind as the vaccine rolls out.
State Senator Royce West is fighting fear and mistrust by speaking directly to minorities.
He’s concerned some will skip the vaccine, especially the Black community after enduring the Tuskegee syphilis study and disparities in medical care.
"What I do know is this there were African American scientists involved in putting together the ingredients for these particular, especially Moderna, vaccines, so you know we’ve had representation at the table," West explained.
And he also reported more and more private health care providers in the southern sector are registering with the state to administer the vaccine, helping to fill gaping holes in coverage.
Others, like State Representative Rafael Anchia, are speaking to the Hispanic community, as Latinos make up more than half of the state’s COVID-19 deaths.
"We are in agreement that essential workers should be next up to receive the vaccine, and finally those essential workers include our teachers, who are soldiering on every day in the classroom," Anchia said.
"So within the next few weeks, my hope is to go ahead and complete the nurses getting their vaccine, and of course, just following that 1A tier until we can get all of our staff vaccinated," said Jennifer Finley, DISD director of Health Services.
Unlike COVID-19, testing which happens on school campuses, school staff will be vaccinated at an established county site.
Overall, some progress is being made getting the vaccine to those who need it most, while still dealing with the realities of roll out.
"It is a mess out there. People are having a real hard time figuring out where to get vaccinated and what the supply chain is," State Rep. Julie Johnson added.
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When asked about the selection process for appointments, Jenkins explained "the computer is looking at who's most likely to be hospitalized if I get sick, calling in that large group first."
As of Tuesday night, more than 71,000 people were registered in Dallas County.
Jenkins advised people to also talk to their doctors about vaccine availability.
Pharmacy chains like CVS are already administering shots at nursing homes through a federal program. They said they are ready to roll out to the public but need state go-ahead.