As COVID-19 cases continue to decline in Denton County, Denton County Public Health announced Friday that it will begin making boosters available for certain Moderna COVID-19 vaccine recipients.
The FDA, CDC and Texas DSHS have authorized and recommended booster doses from some Moderna recipients, and DCPH will begin sending self-scheduling links to DCPH-vaccinated individuals who are:
- Six months or more from their second Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and;
- 65 years and older, or
- 18 and older who live in long-term care settings, or have underlying medical conditions, or who work or live in high-risk settings
“We are eager to send out messages to our community members now eligible for Moderna booster vaccines,” Denton County Judge Andy Eads said. “Offering drive-thru and indoor vaccination options throughout Denton County allows community members to pick and choose a vaccine location that best fits their needs, whether for their first dose or a booster.”
Residents who were vaccinated by DCPH should not rejoin DCPH’s Vaccine Interest Portal Waitlist, according to a DCPH news release. Individuals can also get booster doses from primary care providers and/or pharmacies, as vaccine supply is readily available in Denton County. Eligible individuals who received first and second doses of a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from providers other than DCPH are eligible to receive a booster dose at their previous provider or join DCPH’s Vaccine Interest Portal Waitlist. Mixing manufacturers for booster doses is not currently supported by DCPH’s vaccine self-scheduling system; however, DCPH will provide additional information when available.
The active COVID-19 case count has continued to decline over the past couple weeks in Denton County, according to DCPH data. The latest surge began in early July, going from below 2,000 up to 16,346 in early October. The numbers plateaued and are now declining slowly, down to 13,443 on Friday, according to DCPH data.
DCPH announced Friday that three more county residents have died as a result of COVID-19, including a Denton woman in her 70s and two Lake Dallas residents — a man in his 60s and a woman over 80. The countywide COVID-19 death toll is now 703.
DCPH only rules a resident’s death as a COVID-19 death if it is determined that the person died as a direct result of COVID-19. Actual dates of death can be released several days to several months after the date of death, due to various reporting agencies and medical records review.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are also continuing to decline in Denton County. About 13% of inpatient beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients this week, down from about 32% last month. During Tuesday’s Denton County Commissioners Court meeting, DCPH Director Dr. Matt Richardson said the numbers still need to come down a lot further, but the latest trends are good news.
“It’s not a time to not be vigilant, but it is a time to recognize the improvement,” he said.
To minimize spread of COVID-19, DCPH urges all unvaccinated community members to:
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance in public settings and when around individuals outside of the household
- Wear masks or face coverings, which should cover both the nose and mouth, in public settings and when around individuals outside of the household
- Wash and/or sanitize hands frequently
- Stay home if you are symptomatic, have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19, or are awaiting COVID-19 test results
- If you are 12 years old or over, get your COVID-19 vaccine
If you are fully vaccinated, CDC recommends mask use in public indoor spaces.
If you are severely immunocompromised, consider an additional dose of mRNA vaccine after your initial two doses.
Click here for more information about COVID-19 vaccines in Denton County. For additional COVID-19 data including active case information by municipality, hospital capacity, and ventilator utilization, visit dentoncounty.gov/COVIDstats.
For information regarding DCPH’s upcoming testing centers, visit dentoncounty.gov/COVID19testing.
For additional COVID-19 health and safety recommendations, visit dentoncounty.gov/COVID19.
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