Officials Plead For North Texans To Get Fully Vaccinated And Stay Safe As COVID-19 Cases Surge
DESOTO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Officials across DFW are pleading for North Texans to get fully vaccinated and stay safe as COVID-19 cases surge again.
On Wednesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services posted on Twitter that "positivity rates are at all-time highs and cases are climbing close to the peak of September's surge."
Over the past seven days, the daily average of new cases hit 11,904 while the average number of fatalities hit 57. DHSH also said that there are currently 4,917 hospitalizations and asked Texans to "get fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID."
DHSH also reminded Texans to keep taking other safety precautions, such as washing your hands, staying six feet apart, wearing masks when around others, and staying home when sick.
DeSoto Mayor Rachel L Proctor also released a statement asking DeSoto residents to take precautions against rising COVID-19 case counts after Dallas County raised its alert level to red on Tuesday evening.
Proctor warned that "one particularly distressing impact of this viral spread is the national surge in hospitalizations, especially among children being hospitalized for COVID-19."
And while COVID-19 is a risk itself, an increase in hospitalizations can take up important resources and deprive other patients of beds, medicine, and personnel being used to treat COVID-19 patients.
"When hospital emergency rooms and critical care facilities become filled to capacity with COVID patients, patients with other life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks, auto accidents, and other serious and urgent health needs are put at risk with very limited access to treatment," Proctor added.
She also praised healthcare workers for their work during the pandemic and asked people to stay safe for their sake. "Remember that medical personnel that we rely on to treat COVID-19 and other patients have been putting themselves at risk since the start of the pandemic, including continued physical and mental exhaustion."
"They have done more than anyone could possibly ask. We owe it to them, our loved ones, and our neighbors to take medically established precautions available to stop the spread of COVID-19," Proctor said.
Proctor also asked residents to stay safe during New Year celebrations and to consider options like rescheduling or using virtual technology instead of physically meeting up.
Denton County also reported a sharp increase in cases, recording 411 new cases on Wednesday. Two COVID-19 deaths were reported. These statistics bring the numbers of cases and deaths in Denton County due to COVID-19 to 115,200 and 760, respectively.
"As we announce the death of two community members due to COVID-19, please keep their families in your thoughts and prayers," stated Denton County Judge Andy Eads. "We hope community members will get vaccinated, as vaccination remains the best way to reduce the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and death. And, during the holidays, we hope you will take the recommended precautions to keep you and your family safe."