COVID surging in Donley County

COVID-19 is surging in Donley County with 37 active cases reported Tuesday, up from 20 just last Wednesday, and almost 70 percent of Donley County residents are not vaccinated.

Officials with the Clarendon Family Medical Center say the active cases are mostly all unvaccinated patients, and local health officials urge everyone to protect themselves.

Clinic spokesperson Marsha Bruce says CFMC provides medical treatment for COVID-19 positive patients, and she said the earlier a patient comes in, the better.

“Early treatment by day five is super important, and we don’t just tell them to take vitamins,” Bruce said.

The clinic has now confirmed 40 positive cases of COVID-19 for the month of September as of Tuesday morning, 48 percent more cases than were confirmed in the entire month of August. July had nine cases, June had four, and May had none.

“It is rising geometrically at this point,” County Judge John Howard, MD, said Tuesday.

It is important also to realize, that numbers reported by the clinic only include people who are tested at the clinic. Other local residents who are COVID positive but tested in Amarillo or another nearby community are not included in the report. In other words, the actual number of COVID positives is likely higher than is officially known.

Last week, Howard said almost all new cases are people who are unvaccinated, and some have had COVID before.

“If you are unvaccinated, you are at risk of contracting the disease, spreading the disease, and, under the right circumstances, winding up in the hospital,” Howard said.

Vaccination rates among people age 65 and over are actually good in Donley County, Howard said, but the rate is still pretty low for those 12 to 65.

Howard urges everyone to protect themselves from the virus, which he says can help people keep from catching and spreading the virus.

“My recommendation is that everyone get the vaccine,” Howard said. “It is readily available and free.”

The Moderna vaccine is available at no charge at the local clinic for everyone ages 18 and over. The Pfizer vaccine is available in Amarillo for children ages 12 and over.

According to the Texas Tribune this week, 30.2 percent of Donley County residents are vaccinated. That represents a total of 1,010 people, up from 989 as of August 31.