A new push for protection as the fall illness season arrives began Monday as Dallas County officials lined up to get flu and COVID-19 vaccinations themselves.
The officials do not want a repeat of the past when COVID-19 took thousands of lives in Dallas County alone.
Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins received two shots and brought his mom and daughter for shots, too.
Daughter Madeleine Jenkins said her recent case of COVID-19 might have been prevented with a booster shot.
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Instead, she missed five performances of a show in which she was to appear.
“That could have prevented me from having to miss those performances had I been able to get the booster,” she said.
Her father said he witnessed her bad experience.
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“It made her sleep for a week. She was not feeling good,” Jenkins said.
Dallas County Health Director Dr. Philip Huang also received flu and COVID shots Monday, one in each arm.
He said the vaccines reduce symptoms if people do catch a virus, target the latest flu and COVID strains and boost fading protection from past doses.
“Since June, we’ve been seeing some steady rise in our COVID numbers. Also, have been seeing it in the hospitalization numbers,” Dr. Huang said.
The current number of cases and the transmission rate are much less severe than in years past when Parkland Hospital had a COVID isolation ward. All North Texas hospitals were jammed with sick people in those peak COVID times.
“We’ve had over 7,100 people die of COVID just here in Dallas County and unfortunately people continue to die, even though the numbers are down,” Jenkins said.
There is no talk of a Dallas County mask mandate as there was in years past, but the health director does still suggest masks for people who are most at risk, especially in crowded indoor places.
“Everyone can assess their own risk and do what’s appropriate for their own protection,” Dr. Huang said. “It’s never a bad idea.”
Vaccination is the key prevention suggestion now.
The Dallas County Health Department will have COVID-19 vaccines available within a few days.
Doses are available now at pharmacies, including Kroger, whose pharmacists administered doses to the county officials Monday.
A new RSV vaccine is also available for pregnant women and infants this season.
“It’s the first season we’ve had a vaccine for three respiratory viruses and the ability for individuals to be protected,” said Jeff Loesch, Kroger’s director of pharmacy.
The county officials said they hope they're example will encourage other people to get shots.
“It’s easy. It’s safe. It’s a little bit of discomfort in your arm and then you’re protected,” Jenkins said.
