Former Comal County Health Authority Urges Residents to Get Vaccinated

by Dr. Dorothy Overman
Former Comal County Health Authority and Family Medicine Practicioner

Comal County’s numbers of Covid cases is wavering a little.

The total number of cases has increased but not significantly. There has been a slow increase of active cases from low 200’s to now 308. The positivity rate has climbed up to 3.02% but that is still below that 5% threshold. Below 5% is considered a low level of transmission.

Seeing the same trends in Bexar County of just a slight increase of cases. I had noted a rise in Bexar County hospitalizations but now it has stabilized. We continue to have hospitalized patients locally with two to three in the intensive-care unit and one to two on ventilators. But compared to the past, the numbers in hospitals are much improved.

Texas is still worried about another surge and this has happened in other states and around the world due to Covid variants.

Variants go everywhere and will continue to cause surges in cases. We are not out of danger and the virus is not gone. The only way to stop this is vaccination.

We need 60% or more of our adult population vaccinated. If you are vaccinated enjoy being with others that are vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated, what are you waiting for? Please get a vaccine to protect yourself and everyone around you.

Truth is, we need the whole world vaccinated to stop this. Where there are surges, there is so much virus that it has more opportunity to mutate. Mutants can be harmless but can be more contagious or lethal. The world needs really low levels of virus transmission to decrease possible mutations.

Everyone still needs to mask in public indoor places. It is nice for more businesses to be open but keep your distance and continue to be careful.

(Editor’s Note: In a Facebook video posted on Comal County’s page today, Public Health Director Cheryl Fraser said 35% of the community is now vaccinated. Click here to see that video.)

About Dr. Overman

Dr. Dorothy Overman served as Comal County’s health authority for over 25 years and became the area’s most trusted source for information about COVID-19. She stepped down last November due to workload in her family practice, Hill Country Medical Associates, now Christus Trinity Clinic.

As a consultant to the county, she worked with the Office of Public Health and Texas Department of State Health Services on diseases affecting the community, disease prevention, public education, sheltering of evacuees and disaster preparedness.

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Overman’s posts on the New Braunfels COVID19 Community Info Facebook page, a private group with almost 7,000 followers, were eagerly anticipated for her candid analysis about the outbreak’s impact on Comal County and Comal ISD.