Tarrant County COVID-19 cases continue downward trend
FORT WORTH, Texas - Tarrant County health experts say COVID-19 cases are trending downward.
Health officials shared the good news with county leaders at Tuesday's commissioners meeting, but they also talked about concerns over possible upticks during upcoming holidays.
Vinny Taneja told county commissioners the overall case rate for the virus is about 72 per 100,000, or what he calls a medium spread level.
"I’ll be honest, we are very close to getting to a low, we just need that final draft down if you will and hopefully soon we’ll be at a low level of spread. This is all great news it shows we’re at an advanced stage in the pandemic and hopefully soon will be exiting out," Taneja said.
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The health department is now advising masks only for those who are unvaccinated, feeling sick or people with family members who have underlying health risks.
Taneja also notes the upcoming spring holidays and gatherings should not be overlooked as potential times when spread of the virus could increase.
"As you recall two years ago this thing came up around Spring Break, so it gives me the concerns we’re heading into that timeframe. But I think the pressure is downwards. People need to be wise about how they go about doing things, but currently you’ve got to relax a little bit, because we are at such a reduced risk we can take some strategies off," Taneja said.
Taneja also mentioned the county is scaling back the schedule and availability of testing sites and the same is happening with its vendor partners.
As of now, roughly 62% of Tarrant County residents five and up are fully vaccinated. The county continues to urge more people to get vaccinated and a booster to increase their protection.