As COVID-19 Cases Rise, County Health Director Urges Residents to Stay Safe

Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in Comal County and across Texas, County Health Advisor Dr. Dorothy Overman warned on Sunday.

Multiple factors are behind the increase, she said in a post on New Braunfels COVID19 Community Info Facebook page.

Bars and restaurants have reopened, kids are back in school, more socializing is going on and there is general complacency about wearing masks.

“As the cases go up we all need to be more careful than ever, even though we are so tired of this pandemic,” she said.

Comal County reported 19 new cases on Nov. 4, 23 on Nov. 5 and 28 on Nov. 6, Overman said. Comal ISD reports 39 active cases of the virus and New Braunfels ISD has five.

“Our local hospitals have low counts at this time, but we know large numbers of cases lead to increased hospitalization,” she said.

Overman said El Paso is in crisis, with all of its intensive-care unit beds full, hospital beds set up in its convention center, stay-at-home orders in place and a nightly curfew.

She urges county residents to wear masks

“Being outdoors is so much safer than indoors,” Overman said. Residents should stay six feet away from anyone not in their household.

Fatalities among hospitalized patients are down because doctors/researchers have learned new ways to save lives, she said, including using anticoagulants to prevent clotting, antivirals like Remdesivir, plasma with antibodies, and steroids to stop inflammation.

“But this is still a deadly virus especially for people over 65 and patients that are obese, or diabetic, or have heart disease or immune-system suppression or cancer,” she said. “Certain groups are at higher risk of serious disease such as Hispanic or Black.”

Overman said everyone should take Vitam D, Vitamin C and Zinc supplements. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 also should consider Pepcid and melatonin.

Many of those tested don’t talk to their doctors.

“Call your doctor if you get this diagnosis,” she said. “If you are having respiratory symptoms there are prescription medications that can possibly keep you out of the hospital. If you are older or have any of the risk factors please contact your medical provider for advice and need to be followed. Many people have mild symptoms initially that get worse around a week after onset.”