Dallas County officials say shipments of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are coming to Dallas County next week and plans to use them to vaccinate at-risk populations.
Johnson and Johnson's vaccine only requires one-dose and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins days it will be used to vaccinate people who are at-risk and are less likely to be available for a second dose of the vaccine, for people experiencing homelessness, or people who are incarcerated.
The vaccine very recently got the go-ahead from the CDC and FDA, but Jenkins says about 6,000 doses are expected to be in Dallas County next week.
In addition to only requiring one shot, the vaccine can be stored for several months at normal refrigerator temperatures, as well. That's not the case with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Both require 2 shots and the have to be stored in ultra cold freezers.
The new vaccine arrives as COVID-19 cases are still being reported all across Texas.
As of yesterday, the state is reporting nearly 4,000 new COVID-19 cases. 179 of those are older cases just recently added by labs.
Dallas County's overall case total is a little more than 280,000 confirmed and probably cases. As of yesterday, Tarrant County is reporting 593 new and probable cases, and 19 new deaths.
