For the first time again since March, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Texas reached 4,000 Friday. It is believed that the increase is due to the slow vaccination progress in most of Texas and the Delta variant.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert with the Biden Administration, said that the recent spike in COVID-19 cases is “really a pandemic among the unvaccinated.”
“It’s like you have two kinds of America. You have the very vulnerable unvaccinated part, and you have the really relatively protected vaccinated part. If you are vaccinated, you are in a very different category than someone who is not vaccinated,” he added.
Aside from Texas, the most number of new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Florida and Missouri. These three states fall below the national vaccination rate. In Texas, only 52 percent Americans of the eligible population have received their full shots of the vaccines.
Just last month, Texas had its lowest number of cases, which was 1, 428. In just one week, the COVID-19 hospitalizations increased nearly 50 percent compared to its cases the week before. Medical experts have expressed concern due to the recent surge in cases. Also, the staff at hospitals haven’t had any rest.
Dr. James McDeavitt, the executive vice president and dean of clinical affairs at Baylor College of Medicine, said: “The work in the hospitals didn’t really slow down, so healthcare workers really haven’t had a break for a year and a half now. So the stress is starting to show, and people definitely feel it.”
Dr. Luis Ostroky, an infectious disease expert with Memorial Hermann and UT Health, said they all are as concerned as any medical expert. He said that high volumes of cases concern them because from experience, research, and trend, “when hospitals get into surge mode, mortality increases.”
Governor Greg Abbott said that he would not impose a new mask mandate despite the increase of cases. Harris County Judge Linda Hidalgo, however, pleaded with the public to resume wearing masks. San Antonio’s mayor also asked the 38 percent of the residents who are not yet vaccinated to get a shot as soon as possible.
In the United States, records show that 57 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
