Gov. Abbott drops restrictions, county focuses on vaccines
Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that all social restrictions and mask mandates related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas will end Wednesday, March 10.
Still, with only around 12 percent of Texans vaccinated, Wichita County Health Director Lou Kreidler continues to encourage residents to wear masks,
“We know vaccines are working as we’ve seen a decrease in hospitalizations...”
– Lou Kreidler, County Health Director
social distance, wash their hands and to get vaccinated when one is available.
“We know vaccines are working as we’ve seen a decrease in hospitalizations in the over 65 age group,” Kreidler said during Tuesday morning’s Wichita Falls City Council meeting, “And also a decrease in cases associated with nursing homes. “
The sharply decreasing numbers of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths in Wichita County is allowing the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District to put more of their efforts into recovery and vaccinations.
The state is still focusing on the 1A and 1B groups for vaccinations, which include medical workers, emergency response workers, those over 65, and those under 65 who are medically compromised.
However, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday the federal government expects to have enough doses for every single American to receive a vaccination against Covid by the end of May. The announcement came on the heels of an additional one-dose Covid vaccine by Johnson & Johnson being approved for distribution this week.
Those wishing to get the Covid-19 vaccine should contact their medical provider, pharmacy or the Wichita County Health District to get on a list even if you are not in the 1A or 1B group.
Registering for the Wichita County Waitlist
Wichita County’s largest provider of Covid vaccines, the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District has opened their COVID-19 waitlist registration at www.wichitafallstx. gov, which begins Phase 2 of the Health District’s COVID-19 vaccination plan.
Once the registration form is completed, individuals will receive a QR code which confirms their name has been added to the waitlist. It is recommended to use a mobile phone to register, so individuals can take a screenshot of the QR code at the end of registration. As the Health District receives vaccines and is ready to schedule clinics, a text message will be sent, following the order of the waitlist, notifying the individual of clinic availability. From there instructions will follow to select an appointment date and time.
Individuals who previously signed up on the Health District’s original waitlist, but who do not qualify for Phase 1A and 1B, will still remain on a separate waiting list. Once DSHS opens the next phase of vaccination, those individuals will be priority and transitioned to the main waiting list.
Local weekly vaccine allocation
This week’s vaccine shipment from the state to Wichita County included 200 doses to Iowa Park Clinic, and 1,000 doses to the Wichita County Health District, both Moderna vaccines.
The health district announced they will partner with the Clinics of North Texas, North Central Texas Commmunity Healthcare Center and United Regional Health Care System so the doses may be distributed as quickly as possible.
Wichita County Health Director Lou Kreidler said there is no word on when the new single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be in Wichita County.
New cases, hospitalizations and deaths
The Wichita County-Wichita Falls Public Health District reported 98 new cases of Covid-19 in the county in a seven-day period ending Tuesday, March 2, as well as five Covid-related deaths.
Also, 303 people were reported to have recovered.
The five deaths reported include two in the 60-69 age group; one in the 70-79 age group; and two in the 80+ age group, bringing the total in the county to 320.
As of Tuesday evening, 19 Wichita County residents were hospitalized with the novel Coronavirus, with five of those in critical condition.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services website 18,460 Wichita County residents have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, and 13,146 are fully vaccinated.
As of Tuesday evening a total of 89,374 Wichita County residents had been tested for COVID-19, with 14,607 of those positive since March 18, 2020.
FREE TESTING CONTINUES
Free drive-through testing continues to be offered by WellHealth indefinitely in the parking lot of the MPEC Center in Wichita Falls. The hours of operatio are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
