The City of Dallas will work with Methodist Health to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine more quickly. This week, Dallas received 4,875 doses of the vaccine. Of those doses, Dallas Fire Rescue will distribute 1,875 doses at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center starting Wednesday. Thursday and Friday, Methodist Health will distribute 3,000 doses at the hospital in Oak Cliff.
"Our partnership with Methodist is looking into the future when we know, it might not be next week, but we know the vaccine supply will get better," says Rocky Vaz, director of emergency management for the City of Dallas.
Last week, Dallas Fire Rescue distributed 5,000 doses of the vaccine at the convention center, but the city dealt with long lines as Mayor Eric Johnson says ineligible people were coming for the vaccine.
Johnson says some ignored a cancellation notice; he says the city's system also failed to "weed out" ineligible people.
"While we made a massive effort, we were not able to weed out enough people who made unauthorized appointments," he says. "Please don't come if you were not invited by the City of Dallas. We need everyone to wait their turn."
Johnson says the City of Dallas did successfully distribute its entire share of the vaccine last week. He says the city will work to improve scheduling as vaccinations resume at the convention center Wednesday.
"I'm sorry. We are sorry. It gives us no pleasure whatsoever to turn people away as we work to distribute a life-saving vaccine to our people," he says.
Details on how to register for the vaccine in Dallas County are available online.
