Hays County records 1,081 new COVID-19 cases Monday

The Hays County Local Health Department reported 1,081 additional COVID-19 cases Monday, which included information from Jan. 8-10 

The local health department also reported nine new hospitalizations and seven hospital discharges in Monday’s report. 

The county considers 5,213 cases active — 680 fewer than Friday — and there have been 37,041 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 5,617 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days.

Twenty-one county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 13 who are unvaccinated and eight who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 13 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, six are non-ICU patients, five are in the ICU and on a ventilator and two are in the ICU and not on a ventilator. Additionally, seven of the residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and one is currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,436 total hospitalizations as of Monday.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 46,795 lab-confirmed cases Tuesday. There have now been 4,265,186 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 75,397 fatalities as of Tuesday. There are currently 9,864 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Tuesday is 36.36%.

At Texas State University there have been 2,515 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 2,205 among students and 310 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 392 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 46 active COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday — 41 among 8,200 students and five among 1,230 faculty and staff members. COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks for most people. The disease, however, can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death, especially for older adults and people with existing health problems.

VACCINE AVAILABILITY

“No appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available Monday-Friday at Christus Trinity Clinic, formerly Live Oak Community Clinic, 401 Broadway, in San Marcos between 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at this clinic. With the New Year’s holiday, the clinic at Christus Trinity Clinic will be closed Friday. A walk-in Pfizer vaccine clinic takes place at Communicare in Kyle at 2810 Dacy Lane every Monday-Friday between 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.

COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in San Marcos at multiple CVS pharmacies, multiple Walgreens pharmacies, both H-E-B pharmacies, MedPark Pharmacy, B&J Pharmacy, San Marcos Family Medicine and Sam’s Club Pharmacy. Visit https://www.vaccines.gov to see other locations across the county. Check with each location to see if an appointment is required or if walk-in is accepted.

According to the DSHS, 136,653 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, approximately 63.46% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older. Additionally, 160,906 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 74.73% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 46,204 county residents have received a COVID-19 booster shot.