Information was provided by Dr. Craig Whiting, Texas Department of State Health Services Local Health Authority, and Marsha Hardy, Emergency Management Coordinator for San Saba County
CASES: Total = 310
San Saba County = 109
City of San Saba = 201
RECOVERED: 268
San Saba County = 91
City of San Saba = 177
ACTIVE: 37
San Saba County = 14
City of San Saba = 23
NO HOSPITALIZATIONS DEATHS: 7
Message from Dr. Craig Whiting: The “breaking news,” of course, is that the FDA has indeed granted authorization to begin vaccinating with the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19. The difficult restrictions on this vaccine (maintain at extreme cold temperature, dispensed only in large bulk quantities, administer the vaccine within a few days of opening the package) mean that only large institutions with large super cold freezers will receive this vaccine initially. There are several hospitals in Texas that will receive a shipment, and vaccination of people working in the front line of hospital care will begin this week. Hopefully this week will also see the approval of the Moderna vaccine which does not have such rigid protocol for storage, distribution and administration. This will allow delivery to smaller hospitals and even some pharmacies. Early on, this Moderna vaccine will go to nursing home residents and essential workers. There are other vaccines currently in testing which may be authorized in the next few weeks or months. Wide distribution of any vaccine will likely not occur until later in 2021, perhaps as early as March or April, but it is difficult to predict.
Recommendations for quarantine have been modified by the CDC. If you have been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 (i.e. being within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer), you should immediately separate yourself from family and public by confining yourself to your own space within your home. If you remain free of symptoms, then quarantine can end at 10 days instead of 14 days. If you can be tested for COVID any time after 5 days and the test is negative and you continue symptom free, then the quarantine can actually end as early as 7 days. If you develop symptoms during this period of quarantine, then you should isolate as if you have come down with COVID as described in the next paragraph.
Rules for isolation when diagnosed with COVID have not changed. If you have been in close contact and develop symptoms, or if you have tested positive for COVID, then you should separate from everyone by confining yourself to your own space in your home for at least 10 days. If you have been free of fever for 24 hours and all symptoms are significantly improved at the end of 10 days, then you can end your isolation.
TESTING INFORMATION: San Saba No Cost Rapid Testing - Civic Center:
• December 16, Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• December 17, Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• December 30, Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.