Texas set a new state-wide record this week for the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 and the percentage of tests that come back positive. Some north Texas doctors are hoping the upward trends will begin flattening out or even decreasing in the near future.
Governor Greg Abbott ordered all bars in Texas to close again in late June and issued a public face mask order that went into effect on July 3rd.
"We think that with both the closing of the bars as well as the mask order that things should start turning down," said Dr. Trish Perl at U-T Southwestern Medical Center during an on-line town hall meeting on COVID-19. "However, we haven't seen the type of increase we'd like to see."
Dr. Perl urged north Texas to continue following the Governor's orders and said the restrictions he imposed can have an impact. "If we want to keep this economy open, we're going to have to change our behaviors," she said. "We're going to have to wear masks and we're going to have to do this social distancing."
She's also urging local officials to consider more stringent regulations on large gatherings where COVID-19 can spread. ""We have asked the Judge (Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins) to really look carefully at any kind of event where it's going to be difficult for social distancing," she said.
She also stressed the need for people to continue to wear face masks. "If there has to be a stick with this we would support that," she said. "I think we think it's really important."
