Rockwall County Commissioners Court appoints new Health Authority

ROCKWALL, TX – Jan. 12, 2021 — The Rockwall County Commissioners Court appointed board-certified emergency medicine physician Dr. Dirk Perritt to serve as the Health Authority for the county. Dr. Perritt marks the third individual to serve as the County Healthy Authority, following the recent resignation from the role by Dr. Jamie Metcalf-Kelly.

Dr. Perritt has practiced as an E.R. physician for 15 years and received his training at UT Southwestern Parkland Health & Hospital System. He is affiliated with Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Texas Health Hospital Rockwall, and other hospitals in Garland and Plano. He has been a resident of Rockwall County since 2008, and he and his wife Angela are proud parents to three daughters.

Dr. Perritt has been proactive in assisting the Rockwall County Office of Emergency Management since the beginning of the pandemic, initiating some of the first testing for COVID-19 in the county, working with the Rockwall County D.A.’s office to administer testing for their department, and assisting the County Jail in any areas regarding COVID-19.

In addressing the court, Dr. Perritt said the rollout of vaccines in the county will be his number one priority as the local Health Authority.

“That’s a challenge, and I think it’s the most important challenge that the county needs to make a priority,” he said. “To bring our society back to pre-pandemic business and socialization is to either let everyone get the disease, or allow those who want the vaccine to get the vaccine. I and three of my physician partners have started a COVID testing company and consulting, and through that we have a workforce of nurse contractors and paramedics of about 30 people who work alongside of us. So we have a force that’s available if the county wanted us to help deliver that vaccination. I’m very willing to coordinate the logistics of what that looks like.”

“Thank you for everything that you have done in assisting with the pandemic, and being on the front lines taking care of our residents in the county. Everyone I’ve spoken with about you has spoken very highly of you, and we appreciate your willingness to serve as our local Health Authority,” said Rockwall County Judge David Sweet.

For the most up-to-date numbers on COVID-19 cases in the county, check out the Rockwall County COVID Dashboard.

For the latest info and numbers regarding COVID-19 vaccinations in Rockwall County, visit their vaccinations page.

Blue Ribbon News staff report.

Our print edition is delivered free to ~15,500 homes in Rockwall and Heath, TX.