Vaccination schedules shuffled as COVID-19 claims 32 more lives in Central Texas

TX –  Delivery delays forced health officials in Bell County to shuffle vaccination schedules as COVID-19 claimed 32 more lives in Central Texas and more than 630 lives statewide since Friday, according to data released Monday by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The appointments of Bell County residents scheduled to receive vaccinations on Monday and Tuesday were shifted to Wednesday and Thursday because of a delay in shipment of 3,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Monday, January 18, 2021/ 9:00 to 10:45 a.m./Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Tuesday, January 19, 2021/ 9:00 to 10:45 a.m./Thursday, January 21, 2021

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 11:00 to 12:45 p.m./Friday, January 22, 2021

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 1:00 to 2:45 p.m./Saturday, January 23, 2021

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 3:00 to 4:45 p.m./Sunday, January 24, 2021

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 5:00 to 6:45 p.m./Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 7:00 to 8:45 p.m./Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Data were incomplete because of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday, but state data Monday showed 12 additional deaths in Bell County, three in Coryell County, four in Hill County and six in McLennan County.

Additional deaths were also reported in Freestone, Hamilton, Limestone, Mills, Navarro and Robertson County.

According to state data Monday, at least 951 Central Texas residents diagnosed with the virus have died, including 208 Bell County residents, 20 more than the local count of 188; 20 Bosque County residents; 42 Coryell County residents, 20 more than the local count of 22; 22 Falls County residents; 29 Freestone County residents; 21 Hamilton County residents; 47 Hill County residents; 17 Lampasas County residents; 28 Leon County residents; 34 Limestone County residents; 341 McLennan County residents, 16 more than the local count of 335; 18 Milam County residents; 15 Mills County residents; 70 Navarro County residents, one fewer than the local count of 71; 24 Robertson County residents, and 15 San Saba County residents.

At least 381 additional case of the virus have been confirmed since Friday in Central Texas, raising the regional total to 55,876.

DSHS reported 10,728 additional cases Monday, 10,110 of them new.

Since Friday, 47,714 additional cases have been confirmed statewide.

The agency reported 46 additional deaths Monday, increasing the statewide toll to 32,084.

Since Friday 634 Texas diagnosed with the virus have died.

At least 13,858 patients were in Texas hospitals Monday, down slightly from 13,953 on Friday.

In Trauma Service Area L, which includes Bell, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas, Milam and Mills counties, at least 228 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized Monday accounting for about 26% all hospitalizations and filling about 20% of available beds.

At least 165 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized Monday in Trauma Service Area M, which includes McLennan, Bosque, Falls, Hill and Limestone counties, accounting for about 36% of all hospitalizations and occupying about 26% of available beds, above the 15% ceiling that triggers capacity reductions under orders Gov. Greg Abbott issued on Sept. 17 and Oct. 7.

About 15.9 million molecular tests have been administered statewide.

The Lab Test Date positivity Monday was 16.27%, down from 17.43% on Friday.

Experts say a positivity rate of 5% or less indicates the virus is under control.