6 COVID deaths after 4-day hiatus
Officials fear rise in cases from Abbott’s actions
After four consecutive days without new coronavirus deaths, six people were reported Wednesday to have died from the virus.
In the year since the virus has spread locally, it has killed 2,676 residents of Bexar County.
Another 255 deaths are under investigation as to whether the coronavirus was a factor.
The six deaths occurred within the past two weeks. Among them were a Hispanic woman in her 60s at Northeast Baptist Hospital, a Hispanic man in his 60s at Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, a white man in his 80s at North Central Baptist Hospital, two Hispanic men — one in his 80s and another in his 90s — both at Metropolitan Methodist Hospital and a white woman in her 90s who was a resident of the Haven in Stone Oak assisted living facility.
At the daily coronavirus briefing Wednesday, officials commented on Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to discontinue the state mask mandate, effective in a week.
“We’re trying to use every tool in the toolbox to combat this disease,” said Rita Espinoza, Metro Health’s chief of epidemiology. “With the new mandate, it is setting up the possibility to start seeing an increase in cases.”
“We know when that happens, a few weeks later we’ll start to see an increase in hospitalizations and, again, we’ll see an increase in
deaths,” she said.
Metro Health reported 190 new coronavirus cases Wednesday — a decrease from 249 cases the day before.
In all, 197,255 people have been diagnosed with the virus since the pandemic began.
Hospitalizations continued to improve Wednesday with 401 coronavirus patients being treated in local facilities — 17 fewer than Tuesday. Forty-nine of those coronavirus patients were admitted within the past 24 hours.
About 9.8 percent of all hospital patients Wednesday are being treated for COVID-19.
Of the total patient count, 148 were in intensive care — down 10 from Tuesday. The number of patients needing ventilators to breathe also decreased, from 90 Tuesday to 86 Wednesday.
Vaccine access
Teachers and child care workers will be able to get vaccinated now, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced Wednesday.
The move was prompted by a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services directing states to expand eligibility.
The group includes those who work in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, as well as teachers, staff and bus drivers for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Licensed child care providers, as well as those who work for them, are also in this group, including center-based and family care providers.
Currently front-line health care workers, residents and staff at long-term care facilities and people 65 years or older can get vaccinated. Those who are 16 years or older with certain health conditions like cancer, heart conditions, obesity, pregnancy and Type 2 diabetes, as well as other ailments, can get the vaccine.
About 14,000 local teachers and school personnel have already been vaccinated through University Health, according to Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. Those individuals still had to meet the previous eligibility requirements.
University Health will start prioritizing teachers and school staff March 22, Wolff said.
Despite this new group having access to the vaccine, many who have been eligible are still struggling to book an appointment.
“We’re now putting more people through a pipeline that hasn’t been opened up by more vaccine supply,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. “We have a disproportionate number that were already eligible — we’re thankful that teachers and other school staff now don’t have to wait — but we need more supply to match that demand.”