Half of Texas’ eligible population fully vaccinated as 419 new COVID-19 cases, 11 deaths reported

As Texas hit the milestone of fully vaccinating 50% of its eligible population, the state reported 419 more COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including 261 new cases and 158 older ones recently reported by laboratories.

The state also reported 11 COVID-19 deaths. That count represents progress against the virus this year. In late January, the state reported a daily high of 471 COVID-19 deaths. Officials at the time said the total death toll was 35,639. Today the official toll has risen to 51,349.

According to The Dallas Morning News, about 25,600 more people have been reported fully vaccinated since Saturday’s tally, pushing Texas down to the 50% mark.

The state achievement came when the White House encouraged gatherings and fireworks across the country to mark the nation’s “independence” from the virus.

And there’s much to cheer about: COVID-19 cases and deaths are at or near record lows since the outbreak began thanks to robust U.S. vaccination efforts. Shops and restaurants are open, hiring is increasing, and travel is nearing pre-pandemic levels.

According to the state, 13,963,922 people in Texas have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine while 12,028,594 are fully vaccinated.

Still, it is hardly a “Mission Accomplished” moment. More than 200 Americans are still dying every day from COVID-19, a more contagious variant of the virus is spreading rapidly domestically and internationally, and tens of millions of Americans have turned against the life-saving vaccines.

President Joe Biden, with a great roar, missed the vaccination goal he set for the Fourth. He had hoped to vaccinate 70% of the adult population by Sunday, but it was around 67%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What worries officials is the emergence of two different realities in the US: the gap between heavily vaccinated communities where the virus is dying out and less vaccinated communities where the new and more contagious Delta variant is taking hold.

About 1,000 counties have a vaccination rate below 30%, and the federal government is warning that they could become the next hotspots if virus restrictions wear off.

Variant cases have also increased locally. As of Friday, Dallas County had reported 131 cases of the alpha variant and nine of the delta variant – although it is also nearing the 50% immunization mark.

According to the state, 1,269,337 people in Dallas county had received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine as of Sunday, while 1,083,385 – 49.7% of the county’s population 12 and older – were fully vaccinated.

The county no longer reports COVID-19 data over the weekend, but on Friday the total number of cases was 306,864 – 263,271 confirmed and 43,593 likely. The death toll is 4,135.

District Judge Clay Jenkins said last week that hospital admissions – mostly among the unvaccinated – are increasing in Dallas and “public health experts are concerned about the effects of the Delta variant, especially among the unvaccinated”.

The current two-dose vaccines protect against the Delta variant, but the protection is less for people who received only one dose, according to Dr. James Cutrell, an infectious disease expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

He said two weeks ago that a single dose of the vaccine would offer around 30 to 50% protection, but both doses would offer 88 to 90% protection against the Delta variant. He predicted that the Delta variant would become “the dominant one we see here in North Texas” within a few weeks.

By hitting the 50% mark, Texas joins 19 other states that have fully vaccinated more than half of their population. But state-to-state disparities remain strong, and the Biden administration has asked states to step up their efforts over the coming months.

Of the new COVID-19 cases reported in Texas on Sunday, 254 have been confirmed and seven are likely. Of the older cases, 152 were confirmed and six were likely.

The state’s total number of cases is now 2,994,471, including 2,550,317 confirmed and 444,154 likely.

Tarrant County

Tarrant County does not report numbers over the holiday weekend. Numbers that would have been reported over the long weekend will be released on Tuesday.

As of Friday, the total number of cases in the county was 263,690 – 220,206 confirmed and 43,484 probable. The death toll is 3,577.

According to the state, 946,347 people in Tarrant County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 836,982 – 48.1% of the county’s population 12 and older – are fully vaccinated.

Collin County

The state reported no deaths, adding 36 cases to Collin County’s total on Sunday.

All new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed. The numbers bring the total number of cases in the county to 93,149, including 76,135 confirmed and 17,014 probable. The death toll is 850.

According to the state, 582,958 people in Collin County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 516,336 – 59.7% of the county’s population 12 and older – are fully vaccinated.

Denton County

Denton County will stop releasing COVID-19 data over the weekend.

As of Friday, the total number of cases in the county was 77,111 – 56,455 confirmed and 20,656 likely. The death toll is 621.

According to the state, 454,813 people in Denton County have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 406,535 – 54.2% of the county’s population 12 and older – are fully vaccinated.

Other counties

The Texas Department of State Health Services has provided coverage for these other North Texas counties. In some counties, new data may not be reported every day. The latest numbers are:

• Rockwall County: 11,870 cases (9,475 confirmed and 2,395 likely), 158 deaths.
• Kaufman County: 16,554 cases (13,666 confirmed and 2,888 likely), 266 deaths.
• Ellis County: 23,151 cases (19,028 confirmed and 4,123 probable), 324 deaths.
• Johnson County: 20,204 cases (17,054 confirmed and 3,150 likely), 379 deaths.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[ad_1]