Name: Dallas County’s initial COVID vaccines went to these affluent northern neighborhoods
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Dallas County’s initial COVID vaccines went to these affluent northern neighborhoods

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11:02 AM on Jan 16, 2021 CSTUpdated at 4:15 p.m. with reaction to the data.Only 97 residents who live near Dallas’ COVID-19 site at Fair Park were among the initial 3,000 inoculated during its first week of operation, according to a Dallas Morning News analysis of limited county data released Saturday.Meanwhile, more than half of Dallas County’s earliest doses went to residents who live above Interstate 30, which has for decades split the city by race and wealth. The county’s first cache of data was only broken down by ZIP code and does not include specific demographics such as race, gender and age.Yet, this snapshot appears to show that elected officials could be falling short of meeting their goal of providing equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine.Dr. Michael LeNoir, the past president of the National Medical Association, an association of Black doctors, was unsurprised by early reports of inequities in Dallas County’s vaccine program. Underfunded health departments, distrust in the health care system by Blacks and Latinos, and a lack of grassroots networks are all contributing to the problem, said the South Dallas native.“We have to make sure there are opportunities to get the shot,” he said. “And we have to talk about the virus and vaccine in a rational way.”More than 10,000 people were inoculated at Fair Park this week after the site opened on Monday, county officials said.The Fair Park site and other state vaccine hubs are open to all residents. But city and county officials had pinned their hopes on helping Black and Latino residents by opening the first mega site in South Dallas. By midweek, .Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who is in charge of emergency management for the county, acknowledged the crowds were mostly white.The new data reinforces some of that: Residents of three ZIP codes in North Dallas received the most vaccines, according to county data of less than a third of doses given this week at Fair Park. The north-central 75230 ZIP code came in first with 164 shots, according to the data. That was followed by the University Park ZIP code 75225, which received 152. And 96 people in the Far North Dallas 75248 ZIP code were also vaccinated.One of the hardest-hit ZIP codes during the pandemic has been 75227, which includes Pleasant Grove. Only 47 residents in this southern Dallas neighborhood were vaccinated during the early days of the site. And only eight people in the Fair Park 75210 ZIP code got doses.“It’s just not enough to plop a vaccine site in a community,” said Amber Sims, a co-founder of the Imagining Freedom Institute, a Dallas nonprofit focused on racial equity.Related:The stark differences between these communities can be seen in household income, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. For example, the median household income in 75230, which includes Preston Hollow, is $91,596, while it’s $43,890 in Pleasant Grove’s 75227. The median household income in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is $70,281.The state has made the vaccine available to front-line health care workers, people over 65 and those with a major medical condition that can make COVID-19 worse. But Dallas County has prioritized North Texans over 75. Officials said they’re more likely to drain hospital resources if they get sick.In a statement on Saturday, Jenkins said that he hopes that by going back to a system where people have to book appointments to get a shot, the county can ensure the vaccine is distributed more equitably.“For that to continue, it is imperative that everyone do all that they can to encourage sign-ups, particularly in zip codes below the digital divide where sign-ups are currently lagging.”Related:County officials said the appointment system was already yielding a greater mix of people. The county invited 9,000 people 75 and older to be vaccinated on Saturday and Tuesday. While race and ethnicity data was unknown for about 3,000 of the invites, more than 4,200 were either Asian, Black or Hispanic. The reservations booked also showed greater geographical diversity, with clusters in Irving, DeSoto, Richardson and Grand Prairie.”These efforts are to counter balance what we saw in the first 3,000,” Jenkins said. “Moving forward, we’ll have much more parity. We’re trying to be fair to everyone.”The situation is dire: found that young Blacks and Latinos have been dying from COVID at a disproportionate rate compared to whites. And new cases of the coronavirus continue to be reported at record-high numbers. Hospitals are at the breaking point. A more contagious strain of the virus is picking up speed, with the first reported case in .Related:County Commissioner Elba Garcia, who represents western Dallas County, said local governments in charge of vaccinations face numerous challenges — especially a limited supply of shots.“The challenges are many, and it comes down to the fact we have don’t have enough vaccine,” she said. “I have a lot of demand and not enough product.”Absent more vaccines, Garcia said, the county must work to focus on the most vulnerable ZIP codes it has already identified.In a statement, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson echoed Garcia, calling for more vaccines. He has asked the state to provide doses directly to the city.“I will continue to do everything I can to see to it that the most vulnerable — not just the well-connected — have access to the vaccine and that we are able to achieve herd immunity throughout our city,” Johnson said.Sims said the government needs to do more to reach vulnerable communities.“It’s going to require more than a few city officials saying they took the vaccine,” Sims said. “It’s going to continue to require Dallas grappling with its history of racism and inequity.”Dallas County’s health department, Parkland Health &amp; Hospital System and UT Southwestern Medical Center are considered vaccine hubs by the state and are working together to vaccinate people from a single registration list, which the county previously set up. Any North Texan can or call 469-749-9900.After a few days of allowing anyone 75 or older without an appointment to be vaccinated at Fair Park, the county will once again require that people reserve slots. The Fair Park site will be closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.Get the latest coronavirus updates delivered to your inbox by signing up for our exclusive newsletter.By signing up you agree to our

11:02 AM on Jan 16, 2021 CSTUpdated at 4:15 p.m. with reaction to the data.Only 97 residents who live near Dallas’ COVID-19 site at Fair Park were among the initial 3,000 inoculated during its first week of operation, according to a Dallas Morning News analysis of limited county data released Saturday.Meanwhile, more than half of Dallas County’s earliest doses went to residents who live above Interstate 30, which has for decades split the city by race and wealth. The county’s first cache of data was only broken down by ZIP code and does not include specific demographics such as race, gender...

Dallas County’s initial COVID vaccines went to these affluent northern neighborhoods

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