Dallas County Raises Covid Risk Level to Yellow

After two weeks of increasing numbers of reported COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Dallas County raised its COVID-19 risk level to yellow.

“While Dallas County currently has lower COVID-19 case columns and hospitalization rates than reported in other waves, the acceleration in numbers of cases, hospitalizations, employee absenteeism and the transmissibility of the current circulating strain is increasing the burden on the health of our residents and our health care system,” according to a letter sent to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins by the Dallas County Public Health Committee, the Dallas Morning News reported.

According to the Public Health Committee, under the yellow risk level, in public indoor settings or areas with high numbers of people, people at high risk from COVID-19 should mask, The Dallas Morning News reported.

“It doesn’t dramatically change the recommendations,” said Dallas County Health and Human Services Director Dr. Philip Huang. “I think it’s a reinforcement of the need to mask … and just another reminder to get the vaccine if you haven’t already been vaccinated or get the booster if you’re eligible.”

North Texas hovered at the green risk level for months following January’s omicron surge. Now, while Dallas County officials changed the level to yellow, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has yet to lift the yellow designation, The Dallas Morning News reported. Huang said the decision to change the risk level stemmed from multiple indicators, and not one factor alone generates such a change.

Read more from the Dallas Morning News here.

In other news:

UT Southwestern Researchers are designing a rapid COVID-19 test that identifies variants and could help hospitals match treatments to patients by catching omicron, delta and more. You can read more from The Dallas Morning News here