Dallas County Health and Human Services is urging people to get vaccinated for flu and COVID together this fall. Health Director Phil Huang and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins received flu shots and COVID boosters together Monday.
"You can get both of those together, and that's just what I'll do today," Jenkins said. "These vaccines have gone through rigorous review and have been found to be safe and effective."
Jenkins received his vaccination along with his mother and daughter.
Dallas County Health and Human Services says more than 7,100 people have died from COVID-19 in Dallas County. The Department of State Health Services says 92,887 people have died as a result of COVID through Sept. 16.
"Unfortunately, people continue to die even though the numbers are down," Jenkins said. "And you have long COVID, which can cause long-lasting problems."
Huang, the county health director, said COVID case numbers and hospitalizations have increased since June but have started "leveling off" in the past two weeks. He said the current vaccines have been shown to be more effective.
"They actually made the recommendation with the prior vaccine that was targeted to the original strain, not to use that anymore because it really isn't targeted to what's circulating," Huang said. "These new ones are really targeted to what we're seeing and can provide that protection."
COVID and flu vaccines are free with health insurance. Those without insurance will be able to get them from Dallas County Health and Human Services. People can call (972) 692-2780 to schedule an appointment.
Huang says hospitalizations have started to level off after increasing in June, and numbers have stayed lower than the peak of the outbreak two years ago.
"We're in a very different place than we were then, fortunately, and that's why the recommendations have evolved," he said.
But he says COVID and flu still pose a threat, especially to vulnerable populations.
"What we're thinking is the vaccine is probably going to be updated similarly to the flu every year to match what might be circulating," Huang says.
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