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San Antonio – Increased COVID-19 risk levels in Bexar County, mixed with potential new variants as children return to school, this fall, according to demographic experts at the University of Texas at San Antonio. May soar to.
The virus risk level in Bexar County has been in the past month as local hospitals threatened to increase infection and civil servants attempted to trample the epidemic of the delta variant, a more contagious and dangerous strain of COVID-19. Has tripled.
Dr. Rogelio Saenz, a professor of demography at UTSA’s University of Health, Community and Policy, said the coronavirus could continue to mutate and cause more infections due to the large number of people who have not yet been vaccinated. Said there is.
Saenz recently told KSAT that Spike “is likely to be the case,” as public health experts are learning more about the threat of the first delta variant detected in the United States in March.
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“… There were variants that occurred months ago that seemed to be even more dangerous than the actual coronavirus … these particular variants are much more dangerous and much more contagious. There is sex. “He said.
In San Antonio, local authorities released a new set of alert data on Tuesday. The 7-day average for new cases is now 1,146, an increase of 724 from last week. Authorities also reported 920 hospitalizations, up from 695 reported Thursday.
“Sadly, I think one of the places we see will be more in the weeks after students return to school,” says Saenz.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 data tracker, Bexar County has become a hotspot for the virus in recent weeks due to “high” infection levels.
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According to the CDC, Bexar County recorded 293 new cases per 100,000 people last week, up 131.25% from the previous week.
At the beginning of July, the risk level for COVID-19 was in the “low” green zone. Fast forward on Tuesday and the level went up to “serious”.
City spokeswoman Cleo Garcia said the three weeks of July were “mild” before rising to “moderate.”
Each level is based on hospital trends, average case rates, positive rates, and hospital stress.
Due to the rise in infectious diseases, the CDC recommended last week that even fully vaccinated people wear facial coverings in parts of the United States in at least 50 new cases per 100,000 people. San Antonio meets that threshold.
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Masking guidance remains until spread is minimal, but public health experts and government officials have said the key is to continue vaccination.
But with Texas Governor Greg Abbott doubling the ban on schools, local governments, and other publicly funded groups from demanding masks and vaccines, Sentz said there was a way back to normal. It states that it may be blurry.
If “a significant portion of the population” remains unvaccinated, the virus will “continue to be active, spread, mutate, become alpha mutants, and now delta mutants,” he said. rice field.
“As long as there are people who have not been vaccinated, we will put us in an increasingly distant future in terms of when we can return to so-called normal life,” he said.
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What this means in the new semester
Abbott’s new order issued last week has eliminated the need for pandemic-era protocols for school and government buildings in Texas, such as mask obligations and capacity limits.
In a statement, the Republican governor said the new order “emphasizes that the path forward depends on individual responsibility, not government order.”
“Texans have learned safe practices that help prevent and avoid the spread of COVID-19,” he said. “They have the rights and responsibilities of individuals who decide for themselves and their children whether to wear masks, start businesses and engage in leisure activities.”
Abbott also believes that vaccines are the most effective weapons against viruses, but Texas said it would maintain them voluntarily.
Read Abbott’s complete new executive order at the end of this article.
The new order was issued the day after San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said they would send a letter to the Governor’s Office seeking approval for a mask mandate at school.
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The Texas Teachers Association has also called on Abbott to allow the district to request masks when children return to the classroom.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden sharply criticized Abbott and the resistant Republican governor for blocking the reimbursement of Maskmandate.
“If you’re not going to help, at least don’t get in the way of people trying to do the right thing,” Biden said.
Saenz said this is where the leader “hits the brick wall”.
“”I think it’s difficult because I know community leaders, mayors, county judges, and many parents seeking such obligations, but there’s a lot of politics … and about respect. All of this is the freedom and rights of those who are not vaccinated or do not want to work, “Sentz said.
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“But fortunately, I think we’re slowly starting to see elected officials and leaders who say we need to protect their rights. of Vaccinated individuals, individuals wearing masks to protect themselves and their families, and our very vulnerable children. “
The CDC recommends indoor masking for all students, teachers, staff, and campus visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Children over the age of 12 are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Saenz said children tend to be at lower risk of serious side effects from COVID-19, but the threat of delta mutations can threaten children with pre-existing conditions.
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Dr. Tess Burton, an associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at UT Health SA, recently told KSAT that many of her young patients hospitalized for delta variants came from unvaccinated families.
Burton advises families to practice social distance, wear masks, vaccinate if possible, and stay home if they feel unwell.
Watch: What You Need to Know About Delta Variants
Read: Abbott’s completely new executive order.
Read again:
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Another COVID-19 spike is “likely” to occur this fall due to variants and the new semester, according to UTSA demographic experts.
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