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What you need to know about COVID-19 vaccines in Dallas County now that FEMA is at Fair Park

The vaccine rollout at Fair Park has been troubled from the start. Officials hope things will smooth out

Simply put, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Texas has been confusing. That’s especially true at Dallas County’s Fair Park site, which has faced a number of problems since it opened Jan. 11. County officials were catching their stride and opening a new drive-through as an epic winter storm hit the state, temporarily halting vaccine distribution.

Now, with the snow and ice gone, vaccines are rolling again at the South Dallas fairgrounds. And the county health department has reinforcements: More than 200 soldiers and agents with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are inoculating up to 21,000 people a week.

To help catch you up on what’s happening at Fair Park, here are a few things you should know:

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You must register with Dallas County to be invited to the FEMA site at Fair Park.

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The military and FEMA will spend three weeks giving out the first dose of the vaccine that requires two shots. Then it will spend the following three weeks giving out the second dose. The shots are given out by appointment only.

To get an appointment, you must first join the county’s wait list. To sign up, go to www.DallasCountyCovid.org or call 855-466-8639 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. There are also a number of registration events hosted by city and county officials and other groups. Some of those registration events are listed on the city of Dallas website.

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For now, you need to live in one of 17 ZIP codes to get your first shot at Fair Park.

While anyone can join the wait list, only residents who meet the state’s eligibility criteria and live in one of 17 ZIP codes will be invited to book appointments for the federal doses. That’s because the federal program is aimed at increasing immunity in areas hardest hit by COVID-19 and neighborhoods that lack traditional access to the health care system. The ZIP codes targeted right now are: 75042, 75061, 75150, 75210, 75211, 75212, 75215, 75216, 75217, 75220, 75224, 75227, 75228, 75231, 75237, 75241, 75243.

If the county runs out of people to invite from those ZIP codes, it may reach out to other neighborhoods.

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If you got your first dose at Fair Park before the winter storm, plan to return for a second dose.

Thousands of people were scheduled to get a second dose during the week of the winter storm when operations were halted. The county has plenty of vaccines on hand for second doses.

But for a number of reasons, the county does not have a clear idea of when folks will line up. Among them: The county does not have an appointment system set up for second doses — yet.

Instead of specific appointments, the county on Thursday released this schedule, suggesting people return to the fairgrounds on the following days:

  • Friday: Only those due for a second dose on or before Feb. 22.
  • Saturday: Only those due for a second dose on or before Feb. 23.
  • Monday: Only those due for a second dose on or before Feb. 25.
  • Tuesday: Only those due for a second dose on or before March 1.
  • Wednesday: Only those due for a second dose on or before March 3.

Don’t want to wait in line? You may want to consider going after lunch. Lines had dramatically shrunk on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.

If you need a second dose at Fair Park, follow the news and social media for updates.

Among the reasons why the county doesn’t have a handle on the demand for a second dose is that it does not have information about the thousands of people who walked up to Fair Park for a shot with a confirmed appointment. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins is advising folks who need a second shot to follow the news and his social media accounts, especially Twitter, for the latest information.

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Where do I enter Fair Park for my first or second dose?

Those who need their first dose should enter through Gate 2, off Washington Avenue. For your first dose, be sure to take your identification, QR code and insurance card if you have it.

Those in search of a second dose should enter at Gate 8, off Fitzhugh Avenue. Remember to take your immunization card.

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If you don’t drive, that’s OK. There are shuttles.

If you don’t have an automobile, or you’d rather not wait in you car, you can be bussed into the vaccination site. Charter buses are running throughout the day picking up people at the DART station at Fair Park.

All of this is subject to change. (Sorry!)

The only thing that hasn’t changed since the Fair Park site opened is that everything is changing all the time. Before you go to Fair Park, check back at dallasnews.com and the county’s website for the latest information.

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