'Just getting started': COVID-19 vaccine distribution continues in Fort Bend County

More than 230,000 Fort Bend County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of March 6, according to Dr. Jacquelyn Johnson-Minter, director of Fort Bend County Health & Human Services, who provided an update on COVID-19 during a Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting March 9.

While vaccines are being given out daily the fact that so many county residents have been vaccinated already is an accomplishment, County Judge KP George said.

“And we are just getting started,” he said.

As of March 8, Fort Bend County has had almost 52,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with more than 49,000 recoveries, Johnson-Minter said. The average daily growth rate has declined from a peak of over 400 xAWA daily in December in January to an average of about 200 daily.

“And although this decline is very welcome, it is equivalent to the surge that we experienced back in June and July,” Johnson-Minter said. “We won't feel comfortable until the new case right averages well under 100 per day.”

The county’s test positivity rate has returned to double digits after a few weeks of being in the single digits, she said. Those numbers were expected to increase because of the winter storm in mid-February, when some families grouped together during power outages, and Johnson-Minter said officials hope that numbers return to trending down.

Although the statewide mask mandate will no longer be in effect as of March 10, the county’s indoor COVID-19 vaccinations sites will continue to require face coverings, she said.