Our view: Vaccine making difference, but long ways to go
AGN Media Editorial Board
Even though COVID-19 case numbers and the area hospitalization rate continue to trend downward throughout West Texas, public health authorities maintain this is not the time to relax and let the collective guard down.
It has taken months to reach this position, which is the result of continued vigilance in the face of COVID fatigue and optimism around a vaccine rollout that has begun with the state’s most vulnerable.
Despite those bits of encouragement, state health officials and medical experts say Texas is a long way from reaching the so-called threshold of “herd immunity.” It’s a daunting task, according to a recent Texas Tribune story, because the state has a high percentage of residents under 18 years of age.
The City of Lubbock confirmed 300 new coronavirus cases on Sunday as well as three additional deaths related to COVID-19 complications.
There was an increase of four COVID 19 hospitalizations in Lubbock County on Sunday, bringing the total number of patients to 245. Out of those 245 patients, 82 were being treated in the ICU.
Both Covenant Medical Center and University Medical Center reported another day with available hospital beds. On Sunday, there were 17 patients waiting for beds and 31 newly open beds, leaving 14 more open for incoming patients.
The Lubbock Trauma Service Area s COVID-19 hospitalization rate rose back up to 20.93 percent, after dropping to its lowest in weeks on Saturday with 19.73 percent COVID-19 patients in the area s hospitals.