Health officials continue plea for more COVID-19 'vaccines in arms'

Brad Kellar, The Herald Banner, Greenville, Texas
·2 min read

Aug. 5—Two more deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 in Hunt County, as local health officials continue to urge the public to be vaccinated against the virus.

"The case counts are going up, we're sure of that," said Richard Hill, the executive director of the Hunt County Emergency Management Department, as well as the Hunt County Health Department. "We need to get vaccines in arms."

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Wednesday morning that Hunt County had 5,654 confirmed COVID-19 cases, an increase of 25 patients since Monday, with 1,047 probable cases, 19 more than had been reported two days earlier.

The state agency reported Hunt County had 182 deaths attributed to COVID-19, two more than the 180 reported Monday, which had been the total for several weeks.

Hunt County had 6,488 estimated recoveries of the virus, 43 more than was reported Monday.

There were 213 active cases of the virus reported in Hunt County Wednesday morning, one more than had been reported last Monday and 110 more than one week earlier.

The total the number patients hospitalized locally with the virus was not immediately available Wednesday.

Hill said area residents should also heed the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control in helping to control the spread of the virus.

"The smart thing is, if you are indoors, wear a mask and social distance," Hill said, noting that even vaccinated individuals can still come down with COVID-19.

"The difference is, it will likely be a much lighter case," he said.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Wednesday that 40.68% of the Hunt County population 12 years and older had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with 34.64% being fully vaccinated.

The state agency said 68.53% of the Hunt County population 65 and older had received at least one dose of the vaccine, and with 62% being fully vaccinated.

Numbers of those vaccinated in Hunt County and in each county across the state are available online at https://tinyurl.com/29mgxxan

Multiple locations in Greenville and Hunt County have doses of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines available, with a list online at https://www.vaccines.gov/search/