Texas Health Stephenville halts elective surgeries as vaccine distribution fails to meet demand.
With an alarming rise in the number of new cases of Covid-19, Texas Health Resources has announced that it will suspend outpatient elective and non-essential surgeries and procedures beginning Thursday, Jan. 7, until further notice.
The mandate includes all hospitals within the system including Texas Health Stephenville.
“The prevalence of COVID-19 positive patients has caused a severe stress on inpatient and emergency department bed capacity and staffing resources,” the release states. “This along with record numbers of COVID-19 positive cases in our communities demands that our hospitals initiate their surge plans to accommodate the increased volume.”
Patients with questions about upcoming procedures should contact their doctor for more information.
Meanwhile, Erath County officials on Wednesday reported 38 new cases; 20 in Stephenville, 4 in Dublin and 14 in the county.
There are now an estimated 318 active cases in the county and 10 local hospitalizations.
VACCINE DISTRIBUTION IN ERATH COUNTY
Erath County Judge Alfonso Campos emailed the following information to Beneath the Surface News regarding the distribution of Covid vaccines.
“Initial vaccine availability, as expected, will not keep pace with the demand,” Campos said. “Please be patient.
Erath County providers have received our initial allotment of doses of the Covid vaccine. All doses were administered to healthcare and frontline workers.”
Campos said Erath County did not receive any vaccines during week 3 of the distribution, but is set to receive 400 doses this week.
Click here for more information on the statewide plan to distribute the vaccines.
Campos said 11 local pharmacies and health care clinics have applied to become vaccine providers.
