ABILENE, TX— Trauma Service Area D (TSA-D), which covers most of the Big Country, remains above the 15% COVID-19 threshold for the 8th straight day.
Hendrick Health Services reports 108 hospitalizations in Abilene and 14 in Brownwood, contributing to Wednesday’s 19.16% hospitalization rate.
With increased restrictions being enacted on bars and restaurants after sustaining a hospitalization rate of greater than 15% for 7 consecutive days on Tuesday, Wednesday marks the 8th consecutive day above the threshold.
TSA-D must maintain a hospitalization rate of less than 15% for more than 7 consecutive days for those additional restrictions to be lifted, according to Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order issued earlier this year.
The City of Abilene released the following statement regarding the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the increasing hospitalization rates:
We are concerned about the rapidly rising cases and the associated hospitalizations. The goal from the beginning of COVID was to flatten the curve to ensure we didn’t overwhelm our healthcare system. We are at the point where our healthcare system in Taylor County is stretched too thin for comfort and we don’t want to get to the point of medical providers having to ration care. This effort will take every resident doing their part to analyze their daily activities and enact additional measures to reduce exposures. There is a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a vaccine and we have good scientific evidence that the vaccines coming are highly effective and very safe. We expect residents to research the vaccine using reputable scientific resources such as the National Institute of Health, Texas Department of State Health Services, the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and similar entities. If we want to return to normal life sooner rather than later, we expect residents to remain diligent, postpone high-risk extracurricular activities, limit public outings and continue to wear masks, wash hands frequently, disinfect surfaces, and stay home as much as possible and definitely when sick. And when the vaccine becomes available, please take it.
