Texas officials worry about COVID-19 vaccines as numbers worsen

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Top Texas officials again urged health care providers to administer more coronavirus vaccines on Tuesday, the same day the state reported that the proportion of Texans coronavirus tests return positive to levels not seen since the summer wave of cases that overwhelmed some hospitals.

The state reported Tuesday that 163,700 jeans had been vaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine. According to the State Department of Health Services, nearly 1.2 million doses have been allocated to providers statewide during the first three weeks since their arrival.

“A significant portion of the vaccines distributed in Texas could be sitting on hospital shelves instead of being given to vulnerable jeans,” said Gov. Greg Abbott dit in a Tuesday evening tweet.

The tweet came after health officials asked providers who received doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to “immediately vaccinate” all eligible jeans, including people 65 and older and those with at least 16 years with a qualified medical condition. That renewed push echoed a statement that Dr. John Hellerstedt, Texas DSHS commissioner, sent to suppliers last week in charge of “managing their entire batch with deliberate speed.”

“Dr. Hellerstedt issued this statement today to make it clear to all providers that people over the age of 65 and people with medical conditions that put them at increased risk for serious COVID-19 disease can now receive the vaccine,” said spokesman Douglas Loveday. “Vaccine supply remains limited, but more vaccines will be delivered to suppliers each week. It will take time to vaccinate everyone in these priority groups.”

The push by Texas officials for providers to administer more vaccines occurs Texas ’seven-day average COVID-19 positivity rate has remained above 15% for a week, according to data released Tuesday. And this sustained rate hike comes a day after the state reported a record number of jeans hospitalized with the virus.

“As a result, we can expect a growing increase in the number of cases over the next few weeks, and not far behind the increase in cases, there will be an increase in hospitalizations and possible fatalities,” Angela Clendenin said. , epidemiologist and biostatistician at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health.

Clendenin said the increase in the positivity rate is likely in part due to increased testing among asymptomatic people and those with only mild symptoms.

On Tuesday, the state reported that 17.15% of molecular coronavirus tests returned as confirmed cases over the past seven days. The seven-day average positivity rate has remained above 15% since December 22nd.

Abbott said in May that a sustained positivity rate of more than 10% was cause for alarm.

“If the positivity test rate exceeds 10%, this is one of those red flags that we are starting to examine,” Abbott said at a May 5 press conference.

But in recent months, Abbott has repeatedly sworn in any new closure. Instead, he noted a state mask mandate that remains in place and certain employment reductions that are triggered when the proportion of COVID-19 patients in a region exceeds 15% of hospital capacity for seven days. A Texas Tribune analysis found that these restrictions did little to alleviate onerous health systems in the areas most affected by the virus.

“Governor Abbott continues to rely on data-based hospitalization metrics used by doctors and medical experts to help inform and guide the state’s ongoing efforts to mitigate COVID-19,” said spokeswoman Renae Eze. as some communities experience an increase in hospitalizations, the state of Texas is working closely with local officials to quickly provide the resources needed to deal with these rises and keep jeans safe, including medical staff and supplies. “

In September, Texas DSHS began releasing a new version of the state’s positivity rate. The date a test was administered is taken into account, not when it was reported. This change in reports revealed that the proportion of people who received positive test results was higher in the spring than originally revealed.

The rise in Texas ’positivity rate is the latest in a series of metrics that have worried public health experts, especially in the midst of the holiday season, that could aggravate a virus that is already spreading.

On Monday, the state reported that there were more jeans hospitalized with the virus than at any time during the pandemic. And earlier this month, stocks of intensive care beds available in the state sank to the lowest point so far. On Tuesday there were 11,775 people in hospitals and 653 beds available in the ICU.

Two weeks ago, Texas began vaccinating front-line health workers, residents and nursing home staff, marking a significant first step in the fight against coronavirus. But experts estimate that the COVID-19 vaccine will take six to nine months to become widely available.

“It is more important than ever, where we are today, to stay very alert about physical distancing, the use of masks, good hand hygiene and to avoid non-essential trips and meetings with other people outside our homes until that the vaccine is widely available and a significant number of people are vaccinated, ”Clendenin said.

Mandi Cai contributed to this story.

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