(Seguin) — Guadalupe County continues to keep a close on the rising COVID-19 cases in the area. Patrick Pinder, the Guadalupe County emergency management coordinator assigned to the county’s COVID-19 response, shared the latest numbers during Tuesday’s meeting of the Guadalupe County Commissioners Court.
“We have 202 confirmed active cases in the county; 126 probable active cases in the county; 750 probable recovered cases in the county. We have 4, 714 people who have recovered. We have 47 deaths reported in Guadalupe County. We have 5,839 cases total reported in the county and we have 110 to be determined. GRMC notified me this morning (Tuesday) that they have 24 patients in the hospital. Last week, on Thursday, they had 18. (Monday), they had 28. Today, (Tuesday), they are at 24 so you can see that the number has kind of gone up and it’s going down a little bit. Their seven day average is 23 as of this morning (Tuesday) and they are still admitting four people in the hospital daily,” said Pinder.
In sharing the latest numbers, Pinder was also able to better explain some of the categories that are used by the Texas Department of State Health Services in its reporting.
“I just kind of want to go over real quick with the probable and confirmed active, I know there has been some questions so on the probable active, those are people who have been tested with a rapid test. I got confirmation on that. The state doesn’t see them as the PCR test, basically the nasal swab. So the nasal swab tests are in the confirmed active case. The rapid test are in the probable active case. That’s the difference in the two,” said Pinder.
When asked about the arrival and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in the county, Pinder helped outline the projection for the vaccine’s arrival. He says the information is based on his recent discussion with Robert Haynes, the chief executive officer for Guadalupe Regional Medical Center.
“When Mr. (Robert) Haynes talked to us last week, the hospital whenever allocation comes to Guadalupe county, the hospital has already signed up for their allocation so whenever vaccines do make it to this area, those providers who have signed up for that will get the initial push. Those are probably going to go to the medical providers, the hospitals, first responders, nursing homes. Those will be your primary people who get those first and then whenever they get some more vaccines in, those will then be pushed out to the second and third waves,” said Pinder.
Ultimately, however, Pinder says the number of vaccines to be received here in Guadalupe County will be based off its current number of positive cases.
“It’s going to be dependent on the cases. So, San Antonio obviously got their first packages in yesterday (Monday). I think they were delivered 19,000 vaccines yesterday (Monday). They are supposed to get an additional delivery today (Tuesday). I think up to 220,000 vaccines were supposed to be delivered in the state of Texas. I think that’s all Texas is getting in this first wave. So, we probably won’t see anymore coming in for the next week or two. Guadalupe County probably won’t see any until the January or February timeframe and when we do get those, those will be the medical providers that signed up to distribute that. Those will be the folks that will get that first,” said Pinder.
While the county awaits the vaccine, Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher assures the local business community of his commitment to keep doors open as long as they are allowed.
“I have another mayor’s call at the end of this week. Some of the conversations that are going on and questions from the chamber of commerce and the business community is, is there going to be another reduction in occupancy and allowance? In Governor Abbott’s (executive) order GA-32, it talks about referencing 15 percent of total hospital capacity being dedicated to COVID as being the triggering point where in these trauma service areas which were included in San Antonio with about 18 or 20 other counties, if hospital capacity is over 15 percent dedicated to COVID, then supposed to reduce occupancy within restaurants down to 50 percent and all that stuff. All those conversations are being had out in the public because they are concerned about it. I just want to reassure the public that we are going to do everything we possibly can with the mayors and municipalities, the hospital, the county to support businesses and not try to limit their occupancy but we are just going to have to continue to communicate with them and work with them so we can be safe as possible — still finding a balance and letting them operate,” said Kutscher.
Although, Guadalupe County is reporting 47 deaths, a total of 87 deaths is what is currently being reported on the DSHS website. The discrepancy between these two numbers is said to be the result of a lag in reporting by the state.
Meanwhile, county officials continue to encourage residents to wear a mask when they go out, to practice social distancing whenever they can, and to wash their hands frequently.
