COVID-19 is surging again in Tarrant County as delta cases soar among unvaccinated
People are gathering with friends, holding hands, smiling without a mask and going out to restaurants, malls and parks. While this looks different from the way the world looked a year ago, the numbers showing the percent of people testing positive for COVID-19 look the same.
Tarrant County elevated the coronavirus spread level to “high” on Friday, up from “moderate” in June, as the delta variant takes hold among unvaccinated people.
“Those that are not vaccinated are going to have these outbreaks,” Tarrant County Health Director Vinny Taneja said. “We’re seeing that in neighboring states: Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri. All of these areas have high surges going on primarily in unvaccinated people. And that’s what we’re starting to see here in Tarrant County as well.”
High transmission means there was a positivity rate above 10% over the last seven days . It was at 11.86% as of Tuesday, up from 3.24% on June 16.
The transmission level was high a year ago too: 14.77% of tests were coming back positive.
“It’s definitely concerning that we’re seeing another surge. It causes an impact on health and an impact on economic activity,” Taneja said.
Two indicators are used independently of one another to determine the community spread level: positivity rate and case rate. Whichever indicator shows the higher percent is the one used to determine the spread level.
Taneja said the high transmission rate means there are more people who have the virus in the community.
“Definitely go get vaccinated because that’s the best protection against COVID,” Taneja said. Adding, “Now is the time to get vaccinated. Do not hesitate.”
98.9% of COVID cases are among unvaccinated
While the delta variant seems to spread more easily and quickly, which can lead to more positive COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and possible deaths, studies suggest that the vaccines work on the variants, including delta, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It’s not because there’s some variant that’s causing all of these infections, it’s because people weren’t vaccinated and the state made it very clear,” said Dr. Diana Cervantes, director of the UNT Health Science Center’s epidemiology program.
Nearly everyone who has contracted COVID-19 in Tarrant County since March has been unvaccinated. Of the 17,533 cases from March through June, 98.9% were in people who were not vaccinated. That mirrors national numbers that show 99% of hospitalized people were not vaccinated.
“We are fortunate to have highly effective vaccines that are readily available,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker in an email. “That availability means that our residents can select which vaccine they would prefer to receive and choose when and where it is most convenient to receive a vaccine, whether it’s a City-operated clinic or their local pharmacy or grocery store. In Fort Worth and Tarrant County, vaccines are plentiful, safe, quick and free.”
‘Waves’ of infection likely to continue among unvaccinated
For vaccinated people, it doesn’t hurt to take a little bit of extra precaution when surges happen, Taneja said.
“Let’s really take this seriously,” Taneja said. “That’s (the vaccine) the one and only tool that is working really, really well against COVID. So let’s get vaccinated, and put this pandemic to rest because, otherwise, these waves are going to keep coming.”
The recent spike in cases reflects that the majority of people are still unvaccinated, Cervantes said.
“And as people are out and about and having more and more contact with each other, it just increases that chance of transmission, especially among those who are unvaccinated,” Cervantes said.
But there are discrepancies in the data showing how many Tarrant County residents have received the vaccine.
According to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, 49.18% of the Tarrant County population age 12 and older is vaccinated. But Tarrant County Public Health reports that only 30% of residents are fully vaccinated.
The county and state’s data dashboards differ because of an apparent programming quirk that has resulted from the way the Texas Department of State Health Services processes vaccine information.
Cervantes said if the public had access to accurate information, it could help unvaccinated people make the choice to get vaccinated.
“Because that may be really something that pushes the needle forward on getting people vaccinated,” Cervantes said.
While Cervantes said she is not a huge fan of mandates, she thinks people who work with individuals who are vulnerable should have to get the vaccine. This would include individuals who work in nursing facilities and hospitals. Many hospitals require the flu vaccine for employees, so the COVID-19 vaccine should be required in certain work environments as well, she said.
“I think in that case it would be good to have that requirement by the employer,” Cervantes said.
Cervantes said unvaccinated people need to avoid the three C’s of COVID: close contact, cramped spaces and crowds and they need to wear a mask.
But for vaccinated people who are in generally good health, they do not need to revert to these measures even as cases rise, Cervantes said.
For people who are vaccinated but have a weakened immune system or are a part of an older age group, they should be aware that the numbers are rising and also try to avoid the three C’s and wear a mask.
Rajesh Nandy, an associate professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the UNT Health Science Center who has done extensive research on COVID-19, expects the surge to last a couple weeks if not longer. It won’t be anything like the ones over the winter or last summer because the delta variant is circulating among a smaller pool of people: those who are unvaccinated, he said.
Fort Worth code compliance director Brandon Bennett said the area has the resources to deal with the virus: ventilators, hospital beds, PPE, plentiful testing and thousands of vaccines that are ready to go into people’s arms.
“We have everything that we need to put an end to this COVID thing once and for all. What we’re lacking is participation among all people in the community,” Bennett said.
This story was originally published July 16, 2021 at 6:11 PM.