COVID-19 hospitalizations have been dropping in Texas as vaccination numbers have begun to increase. Tuesday, the Department of State Health Services said hospitals across the state had 7,769 patients using 12.2% of capacity.
August 25, at the height of the most recent peak, hospitals had 13,928 patients.
In Dallas County, Health Director Phil Huang says suspected and confirmed ER visits have dropped from more than 800 near the beginning of September to 509 now. He says hospitals admitted 169 patients suspected to have COVID-19 Monday, down from about 300 in mid-September. Hospitals in Dallas County had a total of 654 COVID-19 patients, down from almost a thousand in early September.
"These are good trends we're seeing, but we're certainly still not totally out of the woods with this situation," he says.
Huang encourages people to get vaccinated and continue wearing masks, saying the surge in patients in late summer followed relaxed restrictions and fewer people taking precautions.
"It's certainly a lesson for us to all learn that we need to continue to take this seriously," he says.
Across North Texas, the Department of State Health Services says hospitals have 2,288 COVID-19 patients using 14.27% of capacity. Numbers peaked in early September with more than 3,500 patients.
The Department of State Health Services says 72% of Texans 12 and older have received one dose of the vaccine; 62% are fully vaccinated.
Vaccinations in Texas peaked the week of April 5 with 1.9 million doses given. The week of September 20, just 413,253 doses were given. Last week, the number increased to 452,683.
In Dallas County, 72% of residents have received one dose; 61% are fully vaccinated. In Tarrant County, 67% of residents 12 and older have received one dose; 59% are fully vaccinated.
In Collin County, 79% have received one dose; 70% are fully vaccinated. In Denton County, 71% have received one dose; 64% are fully vaccinated.
Huang says 652 people have received a dose of the vaccine at the State Fair of Texas. People who receive their first or second shot at the stand near Big Tex will receive $20 in coupons.
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