COVID-19 surging in Donley County again

COVID-19 is surging in Donley County with the number of active cases doubling in the last two weeks.

Clarendon Family Medical Center reported 32 active cases Tuesday, up from 26 one week ago and 16 two weeks ago.

The total number of positive cases confirmed at the clinic for November as of Tuesday morning was 82 compared to 37 in October.

CFMC spokesperson Marsha Bruce said the total positive cases of COVID-19 recorded by the clinic is now 614 since the pandemic began. Again, those numbers only reflect patients who have been tested by the local clinic and does not include local residents who test positive outside of Donley County.

Clarendon CISD nurse Debbie Thompson said as of Tuesday that a few students are quarantined due to having a family member with COVID, but there are currently no COVID positive cases among students are or staff.

Eighteen residents of Donley County have died from COVID since the pandemic began last year, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Vaccination rates continue to be very low overall in Donley County, according to TDSHS. Donley County Judge John Howard, MD, has said that most high-risk elderly people have been vaccinated, and the state data shows that 72.51 percent of residents age 65 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 64.43 percent being fully vaccinated.

Vaccinations are now available to children as young as five years old, and the state reports that the vaccination rate for residents ages five and over is 42.6 percent with one dose and 36.49 percent fully vaccinated.

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 five and over.