Slight drop in COVID-19 cases gives county hope
After a late August surge, new COVID-19 cases in Wichita County dropped to their lowest level in three weeks, giving area residents hope that we have finally reached a plateau in cases.
The number of new cases last week in the county dropped right at 10 percent to 762 positive tests, a 28% positivity rate for the week. In addition, 93 percent of the new cases were unvaccinated.
“If there is a ray of hope,” said Wichita County Health Director Lou Kreidler, “we did not see the amount of spread with HHH (Hotter ‘N Hell) that we were afraid we were going to. So that is good news.”
However, active cases in the Iowa Park zip code were up to 166 last Friday, from 146 the previous week.
The Wichita Falls Wichita County Health District also reported that 587 people recovered from the Novel Coronavirus last week, and there are still 2,032 active cases.
Friday afternoon, the WFWCHD reported seven deaths for the week including two individuals in their 50’s; three in their 60’s; and one in their 70’s.
So far this week
By Tuesday afternoon this week, the number of new cases reported since Friday stood at 314, with nine new deaths already reported.
Hospitalizations
As of presstime Wednesday, 82 Wichita County residents are hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19, 22 of those in critical condition. Of those in critical condition, 63.6 percent of those were under 60 years old. Critical cases are in the following age groups:
1-20-29
2-30-39
3-40-49
8-50-59
5-60-69
3 -70-79
School cases
The Iowa Park CISD reported 30 cases in Iowa Park Schools from last Wednesday through Tuesday Tuesday.
Kidwell Elementary (pre-kindergarten - second grade) has reported four student cases; Bradford Elementary (third - fifth grade) three student cases; W.F. George Middle School (sixth to eighth grades), six student cases; and Iowa Park High School (ninth to 12th grades), 11 student cases. A total of six staff cases were also reported.
Federal Mandates
Last week, President Joe Biden announced federal manadates on masks and vaccines, mostly affecting federal workers and companies employeeing over 100 people who also fall under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
Kreidler said Tuesday, “President Biden mandated all Federal or civilians working for the federal government wear masks and are required to get vaccinated.Locally this affects SAFB (Shepard Air Force Base) active duty and civilians, the VA, Head Starts and the local IRS office.”
“It also affects healthcare facilities that receive federal dollars, so anyone who receives Medicare or Medicaid funding is affected, Kreidler continued. “The second part concerning business with over 100 employees he is relying on OSHA to make it an OSHA requirement ... (but) it will only affect those businesses that fall under OSHA. This category of employee can choose to get weekly testing done if they have a religious or medical exemption.”
“How this will play out in Texas where as a governmental entity we are not allowed to require masks in our building much less vaccinations, it is a wait and see game. Of course the more people we get vaccinated, the better our community will fare,” Kreidler concluded.
Vaccinations
All people 12 and older are currently eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Texas, with children who are 12-17 years old allowed to get the Pfizer vaccine.
A comprehensive list of providers and pharmacies administering COVID-19 shots in Wichita County may be found at www.wichitafallstx. gov, then clicking on the COVID-19 tab.
Currently, providers are able to give a third dose to individuals who are severely or moderately immune compromised, and the dose is given 28 days after the second dose.
According to Wichita County Health Director Lou Kreidler booster doses, which have not yet been approved by the FDA or ACIP, are expected to begin to go into the arms of anyone who was vaccinated with either Pfizer or Moderna eight months after the second dose following approval. There has still been no news on when a booster might be available for the J&J vaccine.
