PRESS RELEASE: COVID-19 UPDATE

October 5, 2021

As of 10/05/2021, Somervell County has experienced 1416 total cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.  Somervell County has recorded 6 deaths due to COVID-19 in the last 2 months, for a total of 21 deaths attributable to COVID-19 infections.  The case fatality rate in Somervell County is 1.48%.  Statewide case fatality is 1.59%.  The majority of deaths in Texas are above age 50.  In Texas, 88 children have died from COVID-19 infections, 12 under age 1 year old, 17 between ages 1-9, and 59 between ages 10-19.  In Somervell County, our current active case load is 24.  We have been on a plateau for the better part of the last 5 weeks, even though state-wide cases are dropping rapidly.

Current infections continue to be attributed to the presence of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.  Based upon genetic analysis of positive test results, at least 98% of current COVID-19 cases continue to be due to the Delta variant.  That percentage is consistent at the local, state, and federal levels.   The vast majority (at least 80% in most analyses) of the illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths in the state and locally, are in unvaccinated individuals.  Vaccinated individuals are experiencing breakthrough cases, with some data suggesting that the length of time since being vaccinated may be having some impact on the risk of infection.

Booster shots still offer some controversy.  The FDA and the CDC are allowing Pfizer and Moderna boosters for immune compromised individuals, or patients on immunosuppressant medications.  For other high risk individuals, Pfizer is authorized for a booster dose, but Moderna is not yet authorized/approved.  It is expected that the FDA will rule on the Moderna booster soon, and it will probably be a ½ dose as compared to the full dose Pfizer booster.  Johnson & Johnson has recently applied for authorization to give a booster as well.

The most current numbers are found at: https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus then click on the button that says TEXAS CASE COUNTS.  This website will be the most consistent place to get information regarding local and statewide numbers.

Hospitalizations have steadily decreased statewide in the last 4 weeks.  ICU beds continue to be filled at a higher rate than hospital beds in general.  Most hospitals/systems have been postponing elective surgery cases to improve bed availability for ill patients, however as cases drop, expect elective surgeries to be restarted.  In Trauma Service Area E (TSA-E), that we belong in, there are only 60 available ICU beds for a population greater than 8,000,000 people (as of about 4 pm on 10/05/2021).  Many critically ill patients continue to be cared for in hospitals that would not normally care for these types of patients.  The inability of smaller hospitals to get patients transferred to larger hospitals with more capacity and capabilities is still a problem statewide.  It does seem to slowly be getting better though.

CDC recommendations for vaccinated individuals are that they should mask up indoors.  However, based upon risk, it might be more important for vaccinated individuals to mask up in high risk indoor settings, such as a poorly ventilated room, and/or a large crowd relative to room size.  Outdoors, masking is not recommended for vaccinated people.  For unvaccinated individuals, masks are recommended in all indoor settings.  Out of doors, masks are not needed, except possibly, at an event where people may be standing shoulder to shoulder.  The delta variant appears to be substantially more contagious than other variants, or the original version of the virus.  This contagiousness accounts for the increase in breakthrough infections, the rapidity of the current spread, and therefore the change in recommendations by the CDC.  Patients continue to have a much higher risk of complications and/or death from the disease, compared to the risk of complications from the vaccines.  If you would like to get vaccinated, please start by calling your doctor’s office, or your pharmacy.  Vaccines are readily available at this time for anyone aged 12 and up.

Monoclonal antibody treatments continue to be made available to patients free of charge.  With the downturn in new infections, there is no shortage of these treatments locally.  At Glen Rose Medical Center, there is a steady supply of monoclonal antibody infusions being administered.  If you contract COVID-19, and are interested in this treatment option, please contact your doctor’s office.  People who meet the CDC definition of high risk (65+, obese, diabetes, hypertension, etc), can use monoclonal antibody treatment for prevention of infection.  These patients need to bring proof of infection for the person that they were exposed to (with that person’s permission of course).

If you choose to not be vaccinated, and have not had the disease, avoiding crowds/social distancing, especially indoors, good hand hygiene, and masking up are the best bet to avoid getting any version of the virus causing COVID-19.

GRISD continues to have sporadic cases of COVID-19 throughout the district.  114 total cases in students, with 10 active.  14 total cases in staff with 5 current.

Texas DSHS recommendations include exclusion from school or work while ill with COVID-19.

A school administrator shall exclude from attendance any child having or suspected of having COVID-19. Exclusion shall continue until the readmission criteria for the conditions are met. The readmission criteria for COVID-19 is as follows:

If symptomatic, exclude until at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset, and fever free*, and other symptoms have improved. Children who test positive for COVID-19 but do not have any symptoms must stay home until at least 10 days after the day they were tested.

*Fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever suppressing medications. Fever is a temperature of 100° Fahrenheit (37.8° Celsius) or higher.

Texas DSHS recommendations for close contacts of known COVID-19 cases are as follows:

Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19

Watch for fever (100.4◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19

And if possible, stay away from people you live with, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19

There are alternative recommendations that might be less optimal with a more transmissible or more severe strain of COVID-19, especially during high levels of community transmission.  This could include return to school or work on day 7 or 8, if asymptomatic, and a negative PCR test performed after post exposure day 5.

Please do not send your children to school if they are sick.  This is sound advice for many infections, not just COVID-19.

Generally, I am an optimistic person.  Good data is very hard to get, and I do not have a crystal ball that works worth a darn.  It is possible though, that we might be getting closer to herd immunity, as the combination of vaccinated individuals, and survivors of the disease, might be getting close to, or exceeding 70% of the population locally.  Unfortunately, only time will tell for sure.

While data suggests that immunity from surviving the disease is more effective than vaccination in the short term, there is no effective way of proving how long that immunity will last.  Disease survivors can still get vaccinated.  Patients who have had the disease, and subsequently get vaccinated, have the best immunity possible according to current knowledge.

Stay safe, and thank you for taking the time to read this!

Steven J Vacek, M.D.

Glen Rose HealthCare Inc.

Somervell County Local Health Authority