• Dallas County: 972-692-2780
• Denton County: 940-349-2585
• Collin County: 211, Select Option 6
• Statewide: 211, Select Option 6

•  Dallas County Health and Human Services: coronavirus@dshstexas.gov

Help us keep Carrollton's parks and trails open by practicing proper physical distancing! The City’s hike and bike trails will have to be closed by Dallas County if they are not used properly. When on the trails, stay 6ft or more apart (that's the height of a door turned sideways, or the length of a couch). Step off the trail when passing others if you need to make room. Directly passing others mean you are breathing in what they are exhaling.

When you breathe, cough, or sneeze, those droplets can spread out farther than you think (6-8 feet or more!).

Whether you’re out for a run or just making a run to the grocery store, please practice proper physical distancing. Even if you do not think you are sick, stay the proper distance from others so that everyone can stay safe. As a reminder, you can only be within 6ft of those living in your household.

The novel (new) coronavirus, named SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19), is a respiratory disease that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 and has now been detected in multiple international locations, including the United States.

For more information from the CDC, click here.

How does the virus spread?

For more information from the CDC on how COVID-19 is spread, click here.

• Washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue
• Disinfecting frequently touched objects
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

Symptoms

Confirmed patients who have contracted  COVID-19 have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath.

At this time, CDC believes that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS coronaviruses.

For more information, click here.

 Is there a vaccine?

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, but the CDC does recommend that citizens receive an influenza shot to protect their health.

 What kind of household cleaners can kill COVID-19?

What if I have other questions?

There are a number of information resources available through Dallas County Health and Human Services, Denton County Public Health, the Texas Department of State Health Services, and the CDC.

This public health situation is ever evolving, so be sure to check back frequently.

For cleaning and disinfection tips, more information is available on the CDC's website.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also provides a list of disinfectants for use against COVID-19. 

The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance. 

For additional information, as well as a guide to make a DIY mask, click here. 

For tips on how to watch your hands from the CDC, click here. 

For social distancing tips from the CDC, click here. 

• English (PDF)
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• Korean (PDF)
• Vietnamese (PDF)

• English (PDF)
• Spanish (PDF)
• Chinese (PDF)
• Korean (PDF)
• Vietnamese (PDF)

• TX COVID-19 Test Collection Sites

• Free COVID-19 testing is available through the State of Texas/Division of Emergency Management at Mountain View College (4849 W. Illinois Avenue, Dallas 75211). For more details and eligibility information, as well as a list of other testing sites, click here.

•  CVS COVID-19 Testing via Minute Clinic 

 Dallas County currently has two drive-through testing locations:

• Ellis Davis Field House (9191 S. Polk Street, Dallas)
• Eastfield Campus of Dallas College (3737 Motley Drive, Mesquite 75150).
• For more details and eligibility information, click here.

Drive-through testing locations open at 8 a.m. and close once the available daily tests have been used or 5 p.m., whichever comes sooner.

The criteria for being tested is:

• Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, new loss of taste or smell, vomiting or diarrhea, and/or sore throat
• Anyone 65-years-old or older
• Anyone with chronic health issues (diabetes, asthma, heart issues, etc.)
• Any first responders, DART drivers, healthcare workers, grocery store and essential retail store workers
• Individuals without symptoms who have been actively engaged in large group settings, such as public gatherings or congregations of people.

Anyone not meeting the criteria will not be tested and should contact their healthcare provider. Criteria subject to change.

For more information, including additional testing locations, click here or call 972-692-2780

Weekly Recurring Testing Center 

• Free COVID-19 testing is available at the University of North Texas - Discovery Park (3940 N. Elm St., Denton 76207).
• For more details and eligibility information, as well as a list of other testing sites, click here.

 In an effort to prevent false information from being spread, the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have created resources that cover popular myths and misinformation and provide facts. Here are some highlights.

• Fact: Diseases can make anyone sick, regardless of their race or ethnicity.
  People of Asian descent, including Chinese Americans, are not more likely to get COVID-19 than any other American. Help stop fear by letting people know that being of Asian descent does not increase the chance of getting or spreading COVID-19.
  
  
• Fiction: Any aquarium use products that contain chloroquine phosphate can be used to treat COVID-19. DO NOT ingest these products, they are not intended for human consumption. Medications like chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate should be taken only when prescribed by and under the supervision of your healthcare provider and always according to the instructions provided. More info on this topic can be found in this CDC Health Advisory, issued March 28.

• Does COVID-19 affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?
  People of all ages can be infected by COVID-19. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
  WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, such as following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

For more myths, and other information from the WHO, click here.

• Is 5G cell phone technology linked to the cause of coronavirus?
  

  A worldwide online conspiracy theory has attempted to link 5G cell phone technology as being one of the causes of the coronavirus. Many cell towers have been set on fire as a result.  5G technology does NOT cause coronavirus.

  4/6/20 | Source: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

 For other information from FEMA, click here.