TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2021, COVID UPDATE VIA DESOTO
As of Noon on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, Dallas County Health and Human Services reported 189 new “real-time” COVID-19 positive cases. This included 131 confirmed cases from PCR tests and 58 probable cases from lab-confirmed antigen tests. Dallas County also reported 3 new Coronavirus deaths which included a DeSoto man in his 40’s who had underlying high-risk health conditions and who died in an area hospital after being critically ill.
On Monday, June 14th, Dallas County Health and Human Services also released a spreadsheet by city of the number of people over 18 years of age who have been vaccinated and the percentage of the population in that city that has been vaccinated. In DeSoto that number was 59%,
Today’s Dallas County COVID News Release can be viewed right here: https://www.ci.desoto.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/19411/6152021-Press-Release---Dallas-County-Reports-Additional-Positive-2019-Novel-Coronavirus-COVID-19-Cases
Dallas County’s Public Health Committee has moved the COVID-19 risk level down to yellow for unvaccinated people. For fully vaccinated people the @CDCgov guidance applies. For a full list of all activity recommendations under yellow, go to http://dallascounty.org.
Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) maintains a summary of cases by Dallas County Cities. Once there you should select their “Cumulative COVID-19 Cases by City of Residence Within Dallas County” to view DeSoto’s cumulative case numbers since the start of the Coronavirus Pandemic. As of June 8, it shows there have been 6,148 cumulative cases in DeSoto since the start of the pandemic. Here is that link: https://www.dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/2019-novel-coronavirus/daily-updates.php
Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) also provides initial vaccinations to those most at risk of exposure to COVID-19 and over 489,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic, which started operations on Monday, January 11. Vaccine operations for both first and second doses continue weekly at Fair Park and the full operating schedule can be found here.
The most current statewide COVID-19 Situation Report from the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) can be viewed here: https://olympus.soc.texas.gov/services/Sitrep/GetFile.aspx?id=8615
Dallas County provides an interactive map that provides COVID Data on demand to view as desired. It can be accessed 24/7 at https://covid-analytics-pccinnovation.hub.arcgis.com/
All Dallas County COVID-19 Updates and Information can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/ and all guidance documents can be found here: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/guidance-health.php
Office of Governor Greg Abbott: Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Government Entities From Mandating Masks. News Release: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-issues-executive-order-prohibiting-government-entities-from-mandating-masks
Executive Order: https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/press/EO-GA-36_prohibition_on_mandating_face_coverings_response_to_COVID-19_disaster_IMAGE_05-18-2021.pdf
Statement on Executive Order 36
by Rachel L. Proctor, Mayor of DeSoto, Texas
Issued Tuesday, May 18, 2021
DeSoto has taken COVID-19 very seriously and we thank everyone who has made the choices to put the safety of our community above their own comfort and needs. We ask our employees and residents, especially those who have not yet been fully vaccinated, to consider making the choice to wear a mask while at City facilities even though the practice can no longer be mandated. We are all anxious for the day when COVID is fully behind us and we can continue coming together as a community.
Dallas County recently issued a news release about same day online scheduling that Is now available at Fair Park via their Online Vaccination Scheduler: https://www.ci.desoto.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/19073/4142021-Press-Release---Dallas-County-Health-and-Human-Services-Launches-COVID-19-Vaccination-Scheduler
Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) has provided over 487,000 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered at the Fair Park mega-vaccine clinic, which started operations on Monday, January 11. Vaccine operations for both first and second doses continue weekly at Fair Park.
On Thursday, May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. These do not fully apply to persons who have not been fully vaccinated. Read the CDC’s recommendations on their website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html
CDC Summary of Recent Changes
Update that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance
Update that fully vaccinated people can refrain from testing following a known exposure unless they are residents or employees of a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter
INFOGRAPHIC
If you are fully vaccinated you can start doing many things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/pdfs/choosingSaferAct.pdf
Key Points
The following recommendations apply to non-healthcare settings. For related information for healthcare settings, visit Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination.
Fully vaccinated people can:
- Resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance
- Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
- Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
- Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
- Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
- Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible
For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:
- Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
- Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations
Please register to be vaccinated, and if you have concerns talk to your doctor and access information from established medical sources such as the CDC and the AMA. If you have not yet done so there are multiple places in this notice that provide information about where you can receive assistance getting registered.
If you are a member of the DeSoto Community and you have not yet been vaccinated, you have many options.
DeSoto Seniors who do not have access to the internet can obtain help with registration over the phone from the DeSoto Senior Activity Center by calling 972-230-5825 during regular business hours.
For other residents who need help with accessing the internet so that they can register online, public computers are available in the DeSoto Public Library. Library staff will not be registering residents but can direct people over the phone or in the library to the Dallas HHS vaccinations page and online form. Contact the Library’s Information Desk at 972-230-9661.
DeSoto Seniors. If you need a free ride to and from Dallas County’s Fair Park Vaccination Mega Center can contact STAR Transit at least 24 hours in advance to make the necessary reservations. The linked press release will explain the full process in greater detail: https://www.ci.desoto.tx.us/DocumentCenter/View/18659/STARTransit_FreeRides_1-28-21
Here is a Vaccine Locator Map from the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM): https://tdem.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=3700a84845c5470cb0dc3ddace5c376b
Here is some additional information on vaccinations from the State of Texas: https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/immunize/vaccine.aspx
Have general questions about COVID-19 or the COVID-19 vaccine?
Visit the CDC COVID-19 website or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).
Individuals over the age of 16 can receive a COVID-19 vaccination without an appointment between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday – Saturday at Parkland Health & Hospital System’s drive-through location at Ellis Davis Field House, 9191 S. Polk St., Dallas, 75232. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Ellis Davis Field House is open to those with an appointment from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Saturday. The location is closed on Sundays.
For additional information about COVID-19, please visit www.parklandhospital.com/covid19vaccines.
COVID vaccinations have been offered at the Crescent Regional Hospital at 2600 W. Pleasant Run Rd., Lancaster, TX 75146. You might want to check availability with them and can do so on their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/crescentregional They point out that 16+ Years Old & Walk-ins are welcome and that registration can be done in their cafeteria.
Dallas County operates its COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Hotline so that residents can register over the phone for COVID-19 vaccinations. Dial 1-855-IMMUNE9 (1-855-466-8639) to register between 7 AM and 7 PM, seven days a week. You can also learn more about vaccine registration and requirements at www.dallascountycovid.org,
Listing of Test Sites from Dallas County: https://www.dallascounty.org/covid-19/testing-locations.php
Listing of Test Sites From the State of Texas: https://tdem.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=1e91fb79fa44417898738e5bff31a3d8/
Dallas County/Parkland Drive-Through Testing Site at the Ellis Davis Field House, 9191 S. Polk St., Dallas, TX 75232, is normally open from Monday – Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. or until the testing limit is reached. This facility is closed on Sundays. https://www.parklandhospital.com/news-and-updates/ellis-davis-field-house-covid19-testing--1730
For the latest info about Texas 2-1-1 community resources on COVID-19 dial 2-1-1.
COVID NEWS:
Dallas Morning News: Dallas County reports 3 coronavirus deaths, 189 new cases as nation passes 600,000 COVID-19 fatalities https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2021/06/15/dallas-county-reports-3-coronavirus-deaths-189-new-cases-as-nation-passes-600000-covid-19-fatalitis/
Spectrum News: More than 11 million Texans now fully vaccinated https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/san-antonio/news/2021/06/15/more-than-11-million-texans-now-fully-vaccinated-
ABC News: By the Numbers: COVID-19 US death toll reaches 600,000 https://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/numbers-covid-19-us-death-toll-reaches-600000-78304018
CNN: What you need to know about California's reopening https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/us/california-reopening-covid-explainer/index.html
USA Today: Fact check: White pine tea likely not helpful against COVID-19; vaccinated don't 'shed' particles https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/06/15/fact-check-white-pine-tea-likely-not-helpful-against-covid-19/7651765002/
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