There's reason for optimism in Tarrant County relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the two-year anniversary of the global pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization approaches, there are signs that it could soon be over.
Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja told the Commissioners Court this morning that the county's community spread level is now down to "moderate," the lowest level in two years.
"The positivity rate is about three and a half percent, hospitalizations are down ... (and) the case rate is below 100," Taneja noted in his presentation that lasted less than three and a half minutes. "Things are looking great."
Furthermore, the spread rate - the R(t) number - is now down to 0.60, meaning that every one person infected with COVID is passing the virus on to 0.6 people on average.
Any number below 1 means that the virus spread is decreasing.
Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks cautioned, however, that people still need to remain vigilant, at least for the time being.
"Just because the numbers are lower than they've been in two years does not mean that this thing is over," Brooks said. "It may be over, but it is too early for us to drop our guard and declare victory."
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