TEMPLE, Texas — The new CDC recommendation that vaccinated individuals wear masks indoors in high transmission areas comes as COVID-19 numbers rise in Central Texas. The CDC views both Bell and McLennan counties as high transmission areas.
The Bell County Public Health District has now moved its threat level from "moderate controlled transmission" to "uncontrolled community transmission."
Another 118 cases were counted on Tuesday. Bell County COVID-19 hospitalizations have reached nearly 13% in the trauma service area, the highest in the state.
Judge David Blackburn said that all three area hospitals are at, or nearly at, maximum capacity.
“The hospitals have indicated that the vast majority, in fact two or three of the hospitals I spoke to have indicated that 100% of their COVID in-patients were unvaccinated patients," he said. "So your absolute best defense against mitigating, against going into the hospital, is to get vaccinated."
In the last seven days, 38% of ICU hospital beds in Bell County were being used for COVID-19 patients.
Blackburn is urging people to get vaccinated and said the county is trying to educate the public.
“We’ve made really good progress over the past couple months against the pandemic and much of our lives have returned to some sort of resemblance of normal, and again with this current spike in cases, it is concerning that we could be stepping backwards and I don’t think anyone wants to go that direction,” he said.