Dallas County Judge reported 270 new COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths on Wednesday. “Last night, the Public Health Committee moved the COVID-19 risk level in Dallas County from red to orange.”
Southwest Airlines is slowly bringing back pre-pandemic boarding procedures, according to a report from the Dallas Morning News. Masks are still required on the flight, but Southwest is back to boarding 30 passengers at a time and restoring beverage options on flight after being limited to water only.
A February University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll shows that white Republicans are refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine more than any other demographic group in Texas. In Texas, 61% of white Republicans, and 59% of all Republicans regardless of race, either said they are reluctant to get the vaccine or would refuse it outright. Read more from the Texas Tribune here.
Calls for volunteers intensify as Texas plans to open vaccine eligibility next week. In the report from WFAA, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says the expansion is a moot point if there are no vaccines and no volunteers, with Dallas County, needing an estimated 66,000 vaccines per week to reach herd immunity by June.
