Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins announced Monday the county was lowering the coronavirus threat level to yellow — the lowest it has been since the county began its color-coded warning system last year.
The change, announced on Twitter, means unvaccinated people may safely increase activities such as eating inside restaurants, shopping and travel. In all instances, physical distance, hand washing and face coverings are still recommended for unvaccinated people.
For fully vaccinated people, Jenkins said, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance applies: They can resume most activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by law or regulation, including business and workplace rules.
Earlier this month, county commissioners raised questions about whether the tool had outlived its purpose, given most pre-pandemic activities have returned and federal health officials have relaxed nearly all precautions for fully vaccinated people.
County Commissioner John Wiley Price, who previously expressed concerns about local officials’ hesitancy to lower the level, said Monday that the decision was “long overdue.”
“People who continue to try to be as compliant as they can need to see that,” Price said. “People need to see a ray of hope.”
Price said the move shouldn’t keep people from being vigilant against the virus or from getting the vaccine. He said this weekend, he’s helping to plan a Juneteenth event specifically for “celebration and vaccination.”
“I don’t want to let up off the gas,” Price said. “If you want to be emancipated, you help carry your share of the load in society.”
Fewer than 1 million Dallas County residents over 12 years old are fully vaccinated, according to state data.
The Public Health Committee has moved the Covid 19 risk level down to yellow for unvaccinated people. For fully vaccinated people the @CDCgov guidance applies. For a full list of all activity recommendations under yellow, go to https://t.co/2WA8Xp5T9e. pic.twitter.com/VB3ahamTib
— Clay Jenkins (@JudgeClayJ) June 14, 2021
Dallas County was among the first in Texas and the U.S. to implement a color-coded risk assessment, before vaccines were widely available.
The county provides a list of activities that are safe under the current threat level, including indoor shopping or dining while social distancing, going to events with fewer than 50 people, and wearing masks when possible.
Dr. Philip Huang, Dallas County Health Department director, had told commissioners recently he didn’t want to “move the goal post” that was defined last year, which he said is why the county was slow to lower the threat level.
Monday he said the decision to lower the threat level came after the county’s Public Health Committee assessed last week’s metrics, including the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people and beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
The new guidance under the yellow threat level applies for people who are not fully vaccinated. Those who are may follow the CDC guidelines that generally allow a return to normal.
He said this difference in guidelines between the county and CDC should be more incentive for people to get their vaccines.
”A lot of the reason we’re able to start slowing this down is because the vaccines are so effective,” Huang said. “So hopefully it’s more encouragement for people if they have not received the vaccine yet to get the vaccine.”
Commissioner J.J. Koch, who represents northern Dallas County, has criticized the color-coded system altogether, saying it is outdated. Because the guidance no longer matches recommendations from the CDC, it has become “noise” to people who may ignore the local guidance, he said.
“The overall scale is deeply flawed,” Koch said. “The four-stages deal is not helpful.”
Koch said he’d rather see a system similar to pollen count or ozone warnings. If case counts rise in any given time, he said, an alert could go out to tell people to be more cautious in public.
