With the recent announcement of the authorization of a new, single dose, COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson and Johnson, it was also announced that Dallas County would be one of the recipients. 

Dallas County Health Department Public Information Officer Ann Cochran says Dallas County is expected to receive 700 doses of the new vaccine later this week. Cochran says these doses will go towards additional people in Phase 1B. 

“Tier 2 includes persons working in food, agriculture, distribution and manufacturing who cannot physically maintain a distance of six feet away from one another as they perform their job.”

Cochran says the only place in Dallas County eligible for the vaccines is Tyson Foods in Perry. She notes there will be a mass vaccination clinic setup at Tyson to vaccinate its workers with the new single dose vaccine. 

“The health department has been working closely with Tyson to plan a mass clinic for vaccines. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine requires only one dose which will be less disruptive to the workflow than if the clinic had to be repeated there at the workplace.”

Cochran notes the vaccines not only will protect the workers but may generate a regional impact as some workers travel from other communities to work at Tyson Foods in Perry.