A Doctor’s Christmas Warning: “We Are Past Red Alert” with COVID-19

Dr. Dorothy Overman, the New Braunfels physician who served as Comal County’s Health Authority for 25 years before stepping down in November, says she always asks her patients where they caught COVID-19.

“Almost everyone knows, but some don’t want to tell me,” Overman posted today on New Braunfels COVID19 Community Info, a Facebook page she moderates. “They know they made a mistake. Spouses, daughters, sons, grandchildren, friends, work, restaurants, bars, crowded stores, churches and choirs.”

Over the last week, she said she’s talked to more patients with COVID-19 than she has at any time since even last July.

This Christmas Eve she hopes everyone will follow advice by medical professionals to just “keep is smaller and safer.”

“Forty-percent positivity rate on PCR, that’s just the one test,” Overman said. “So 40-percent of the tests done were positive. We are past red alert. Every patient I talked to this week has either been exposed or knows of a case. Surely you are experiencing this, too.”

Her advice is to listen to “your inner red flag.” When it goes up, turn around.

“Crowds, indoors, close quarters, no masks, people who do not care about your health, these are the parties to avoid,” Overman said. “Keep yourself safe.

“I want to jump up and down to tell people to stop putting others in danger but it does not seem to be working,” she said. “It really breaks my heart. It’s not just older people dying of this virus. This is far from over. Hospital beds filling up. ICE beds and vents filling up. It will be awhile before there is enough vaccine for everyone. Months.

“Merry Christmas, all, but be safe so we are all here together next year to celebrate the end of the pandemic.”