Coronavirus live updates July 21: Here’s what to know in the Dallas-Fort Worth area
We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date news about the coronavirus in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Check back for updates.
Fort Worth, Tarrant County schools will start online only for 6 weeks due to COVID-19
Tarrant County’s top health authorities announced Tuesday that local public and non-religious private schools will only be able to provide online classes for the first six weeks of the 2020-21 school year — until at least Sept. 28 — because of the rising cases of coronavirus.
The announcement impacts Fort Worth, Arlington and all local school districts.
The goal is to keep students at home until several weeks after the Sept. 7 Labor Day holiday to avoid a potential spike in cases that could quickly spread through schools. There have been 22,665 positive cases of COVID-19, which includes 304 deaths, in Tarrant County as of Tuesday.
“This is a moment in time like nothing I’ve seen,” Catherine Colquitt, Tarrant County’s public health authority, said during the Tarrant County Commissioners meeting. “We all feel we have to do something.
“If we don’t make some effort to delay the openings, we might jeopardize our capacity to care for people.”
A joint order calling for online schooling for public and non-religious private schools in Tarrant County was issued Tuesday by Colquitt; Cynthia Simmons, the local health authority in Arlington; and Steve Martin, the local health authority in Burleson.
Here’s what FWISD plans for classes, sports, masks, COVID-19 safety next school year
This fall, Fort Worth school district will offer virtual and in-person learning for students and require students and staff to wear masks while on campus, the district said in a plan released Monday for the upcoming school year. The plan was adjusted after an announcement Tuesday that classes will be online only at the start of school on Aug. 17, with in-person classes scheduled to begin Sept. 28. Online learning will still be offered as an option after in-person classes start, according to the district’s plan.
In a 23-page document, FWISD laid out preliminary plans for the fall 2020 school year as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Superintendent Kent Scribner emphasized all plans are subject to change.
“Unfortunately, COVID-19 will still be with us when we return on August 17, and with it, uncertainty,” he wrote in a letter at the beginning of the document. “Plans will remain flexible to accommodate potential changes.”
All core academic classes and most dual credit courses will be offered through online learning, but as of Monday, the district was still deciding which electives would be available online, according to the district’s plan.
The district will hold virtual town hall meetings on July 27 and July 28 for parents, teachers, students and others to ask district leaders about the plan for the fall semester. Each event will be from 5 to 7 p.m. and will be on the FWISD Facebook page. The July 27 meeting is also available at www.fwisd.org/27julio and the July 28 meeting is at www.fwisd.org/July28.
Estimated active cases over time
Coronavirus daily active case estimates by local counties in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex, beginning April 8, 2020. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services.
Tarrant County passes 22,000 total COVID-19 cases, nears 300 deaths
Tarrant County surpassed 22,000 confirmed coronavirus cases with 385 new cases and one death reported on Monday.
The lone death was a Fort Worth man in his 70s with underlying health conditions.
County health officials have confirmed 22,002 COVID-19 cases, including 299 deaths and at least 10,644 recoveries.
According to county coronavirus data by report date, Monday’s 385 cases are the most since 735 were reported last Tuesday.
The seven-day moving average for hospitalized patients with lab-confirmed COVID-19 was at 674 on Sunday, one less patient than the pandemic high set on Friday. On Sunday, there were 662 COVID-19 patients hospitalized for the coronavirus, including 153 in ICU.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations over Time
Coronavirus daily hospitalization counts in Texas and the larger Trauma Service Areas, beginning April 8, 2020. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services.
Dallas County reports more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for 18th consecutive day
Dallas County reported more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases for the 18th consecutive day on Monday.
Health officials reported 1,026 new cases and another COVID-19 death — a Dallas man in his 80s who was a resident of a long-term care facility and had no underlying health conditions.
Dallas County has confirmed a total of 42,292 COVID-19 cases, including 526 deaths. About a third of all COVID-19-related deaths in the county have been associated with residents of long-term care facilities.
COVID-19 cases over time
Coronavirus daily case counts over time by local counties in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex. Tap the arrow button to replay the animation. Data provided by Texas Health and Human Services and local counties.
Texas predicted to face a $4.6 billion shortfall amid COVID economic downturn
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and volatile oil prices, Texas is projected to end its two-year budget with $11.57 billion less in general revenue funds than previously estimated, leading to a $4.58 billion shortfall.
It’s a stark change from October, months before the pandemic began, when Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar had estimated that the state would have nearly $2.9 billion in surplus.
Hegar, the state’s chief financial officer, released his revised estimate Monday, which put the state at $110.19 billion — down 9.5% from October’s projections of $121.76 billion in general revenue available for the two-year budget cycle. At the time, October’s estimate had been 9.6% increase from the previous biennium.
“The economic contraction associated with COVID-19 has resulted in revenue collections this fiscal year that are much lower than our earlier (Certification Revenue Estimate) projections,” Hegar said in a statement Monday.
The novel coronavirus has upended the economy, and led to historic decreases in tax revenue collections for many of Texas’ major taxes. Texas’ sales tax revenue — which is the largest source of funding for the state budget — totaled $2.61 billion in May, resulting in the steepest year-over-year decline the state has seen in a decade.
Monday’s estimate still carries many unknowns. In a letter to the state’s top leaders, Hegar noted that the estimate assumes restrictions will be lifted by the end of the year. In an effort to curb the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Gov. Greg Abbott shut down bars and reduced restaurant capacity back down to 50%.
From coronavirus protocols for fans to the race itself, TMS president is a happy camper
Texas Motor Speedway held the first signature sporting event in the state amid the coronavirus pandemic when IndyCar started its season last month with the Genesys 300. The track then became the state’s first sporting venue to open its doors to fans for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500.
As far as TMS president Eddie Gossage is concerned, everything went about as well as expected for the 15,000 to 20,000 fans in attendance.
“Our staff executed things really well,” Gossage said. “We converted in a short period of time from paper tickets to mobile tickets. That’s no small task. Our team did a really good job with that. I was pleased.
“It’s still a bummer to not have the place packed. We usually see people grilling out, smoking barbecue and crawfish boils, so it was frustrating not to have that. But the people that were there were having a great time. I was on the concourse and everyone was coming over and saying how great it was to be doing something normal. That’s what you want. It was a good race day.”
A race day that ended with the famed No. 3 car, driven by Austin Dillon, in Victory Lane. Gossage shared a number of his post-race thoughts with the Star-Telegram on Monday afternoon.
TARRANT COUNTY PROGRAM TO OFFER FREE SALIVA TESTING FOR COVID-19 AT MIDDLE SCHOOL
Registration continued on Monday for Tarrant County residents who want to receive a free COVID-19 saliva test.
The pilot program, which is being launched through a partnership with Tarrant County and the City of Fort Worth, starts Tuesday at J.P. Elder Middle School, 709 N.W. 21st St.
County and city officials said the testing site’s location in north Fort Worth addresses the need for more COVID-19 testing in the county’s Hispanic communities and specifically in the 76106 ZIP code. Bilingual personnel will be available on-site to assist with language barriers.
“COVID-19 incidence rates are rapidly increasing county-wide. Fort Worth residents are looking to their elected officials to provide resources to combat the spread of this pandemic,” said City Council member Carlos Flores, District 2, in a weekend news release. “Launching saliva-based pilot testing in District 2 provides residents in some of the hardest impacted zip codes better access to accurate testing with quick results reporting. My appreciation to our continued partnership with Tarrant County and our healthcare agencies.”
The tests will be administered by appointment only beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday at the school. Initially, tests will be limited to 300 per day. Public health officials may increase that number after assessing the program.
Online registration for the testing is at covidtesting.tarrantcounty.com. Residents who do not have access to a computer may call 817-248-6299 to schedule their appointment.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 5:00 AM.