Treviño’s effort to prevent the writing on the wall

Alejandra Yañez | THE RIDER

Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. held a news conference Tuesday with hospital officials to plead with the public about the severity of the COVID-19 crisis and explain what measures need to be taken.

As of the news conference, the judge announced that there were 680 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across the Rio Grande Valley and 255 in the county.

“The hospitals do not have a limitless amount of supplies or personnel,” said Manny Vela, the chief executive officer at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. 

Vela encouraged the public to do their part in helping stop the spread of the virus.

“It’s not too late to change the future,” he said.

In the first 18 days of the month, hospitals across the Valley have admitted more COVID-19 patients than in the entire month of December. 

Art Garza, CEO of Valley Regional Medical Center, said numbers will get worse before they get better according to the trends he has noticed in other parts of the state.

Earlier this month, Treviño signed the Twelfth Amended Emergency Management Order after the county was declared an area of high hospitalization. 

In the order, the county returned to 50% capacity in restaurants and other establishments, as mandated by Gov. Greg Abbott, after reporting a high number of hospitalizations for seven consecutive days. 

“We’re beyond our COVID capacity, and we anticipate numbers to get worse,” Treviño said. 

He urges the public to continue to practice social distancing and wear facial coverings. 

The City of Harlingen has partnered with health authorities in the county to create infusion stations that provide COVID-19 patients with the drug, bamlanivimab, a neutralizing antibody treatment. This infusion center has been established through the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The antibodies in bamlanivimab have proved to be 70% effective in the last month of its operations. 

Dr. James Castillo, the health authority for Cameron County, said more than 25% of people being treated at hospitals in the Valley are  COVID-19 patients and that ICU capacity is running tight.

“Something needs to change now,” Castillo said. “We can’t wait.”

He said the length of stay for people in the hospital being treated for COVID-19 is about 12 to 13 days, and that the infusion is helping relieve the number of cases that need to be hospitalized. 

“For people who have been fortunate enough to receive the vaccine, that doesn’t mean that your behavior can change,” Castillo said in an effort to spread awareness about the vaccine and its limitations.

He said people who receive the vaccine can still get the virus, be asymptomatic and spread it to others. 

The county is distributing vaccines through a voucher system for those included in the 1A and 1B Phases.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Phase 1A of the COVID-19 vaccination program includes health-care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities. Phase 1B includes frontline essential workers and individuals 75 years of age and older.

From 6 a.m. to noon today, vaccines were administered to those with underlying medical conditions and people age 65 and older at the Los Fresnos Fire Department, located at 100 Rodeo Dr.

Vaccines will also be administered to those who qualify for Phase 1A and 1B on a first-come, first-served basis on Friday at the same location, from 6 a.m. until they run out. 

“We need to make sure that our most vulnerable are protected,” Treviño said. “We know that what we’re doing right now isn’t perfect, but we are trying to figure out ways to distribute the vaccine.”

The judge said he asks for the public’s patience and understanding during this process and hopes that the new Biden administration will distribute vaccines to doctors’ offices rather than the current process, which is through supercenters. 

Those going for their second dose of the vaccine are required to bring their (CVC) COVID-19 vaccine card. 

Treviño also addressed the issue with contact tracing, which has become prevalent in the last couple of weeks. He said people are not being honest during contact tracing as to how they were exposed to the virus, and that is hindering the integrity of the process.

“Our contact tracing is only as good as the information we’re being given,” Treviño said.

The judge encourages the public to continue to do their part and be honest during this time to ensure the safety of others.

“The sooner everyone does what works, the sooner we’ll be able to turn the page,” Treviño said.

As of Tuesday, the county confirmed an additional 359 COVID-19 cases, raising the total number to 33,057. An additional 178 recovered victims were also reported, raising the total number of recovered individuals to 27,389. Cameron County Public Health also reported 10 additional COVID-19-related deaths, raising the toll to 1,249.