Dallas County continues to host free flu and COVID-19 vaccination clinics across the county, as cases of the flu continue to rise across DFW.
"The situation right now is pretty dire," said Matt Zavadsky with MedStar Mobile Healthcare in Tarrant County.
MedStar ambulance crews have gone from responding to one patient with flu-like symptoms a day in October to an average of 11 per day in December.
"Those are the patients who are calling 911, so you can imagine the stress on the rest of the healthcare system," said Zavadsky.
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He said the symptoms likely end up with a diagnosis of flu or COVID-19. Those treated include people ages one to 103 and most are men.
"The last couple years we didn't see a lot of flu response volume because people were being very diligent with wearing masks, washing their hands and isolating if they weren't feeling well," he said.
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MedStar registered a 518% increase in patients with flu-like symptoms in November 2022, compared to November 2021, and a 675% increase so far in December.
"If you're having chest pains. If you're having difficulty completing a sentence or you have some other life-threatening illnesses, we want you to call 911," said Zavadsky.
FUTURE FUNDING FOR COVID VACCINES
There's also ongoing concern over preventing severe illness in the new year as federal COVID funding dwindles.
Pharmacies like Link Pharmacy in Dallas continue to struggle after the government stopped paying pharmacies to administer COVID-19 vaccines in March.
"That's why you don't see shots being done everywhere," said pharmacist Dawn Moshier.
If more federal funding isn't added, there is concern that underinsured and uninsured people may have to pay for COVID-19 vaccines themselves.
Costs are also expected to skyrocket in price after their commercialization.
"If we don't do this and we don't extend this program, then we end up with a pandemic again," said Moshier. "And that's my biggest fear. I've lost parents to COVID so I know."
TARRANT COUNTY VACCINE CLINICS FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 10
Tarrant County Public Health hosts numerous pop-up COVID-19 clinics across Tarrant County each week in partnership with public and private organizations listed below.
Each site has the Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax vaccines. Infants six months and older are eligible for the vaccination. Parents need to bring proof of the child’s age and their own ID for the vaccination. Booster vaccinations are available at all of the vaccination locations.
TCPH would like to bring a COVID-19 vaccination clinic to businesses, churches, and organizations in the community that are interested in hosting a pop-up clinic. It’s easy and free to host a clinic.
In addition to the vaccination opportunities below, the cities of Arlington, Fort Worth, Mansfield, North Richland Hills, Hurst, and Tarrant County College have also added opportunities for vaccinations. To find a local vaccine site, the County created a vaccine finder page: VaxUpTC website.
Fort Worth - FWISD-Eastern Hills High School
Saturday, Dec. 10: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
5701 Shelton Street
Fort Worth - R.D. Evans Community Center
Tuesday, Dec. 13: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
3242 Lackland Road
Fort Worth - Federacion Zacatecana
Wednesday, Dec. 14: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
4323 East Lancaster Avenue
Fort Worth - Patriot Pointe Apartments
Friday, Dec. 16: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
2151 Southeast Loop 820
TARRANT COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH CLINICS
Lake Worth - Northwest Public Health Center
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m.
3800 Adam Grubb Road
Fort Worth - Bagsby-Williams Health Center
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m.
3212 Miller Avenue
Arlington - Southeast Public Health Center
Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m.
536 W Randol Mill Road
Fort Worth - Main Public Health Center
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m.
1101 S. Main Street
Fort Worth - Southwest Public Health Center
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m.
6551 Granbury Road
Watauga - Watauga Public Health Center
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m.
6601 Watauga Road
For more information go to coronavirus.tarrantcounty.com or call the Tarrant County Public Health information line, 817-248-6299, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
