Texas continues to be among the states with a ‘Very High’ risk level for contracting Covid-19, mostly due to the extremely contagious Delta variant, according to statistics provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The total number of positive cases in the McCulloch County since March, 2020 sits at 842 and the total number of active cases of Covid-19 as of Tuesday morning, August 24, 2021 is 54. Medical professionals at Brady Medical Clinic, a service of Heart of Texas Healthcare System say it is now more important than ever to protect yourself and your community from the virus by getting one of the three vaccines that are available and designed to prevent the disease.
They urge residents not to be dissuaded from taking either the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of several myths that have been prevalent on the internet and passed around regarding the vaccines. Some common myths are:
Getting the Vaccine will give me Covid
• You will not get Covid from getting any of the three shots you may be offered.
Only the Pfizer Vaccine seems to be the best defense against Covid
• Pfizer has shown to be 95% effective against the virus and greater than 89% effective for those with diabetes, obesity or other health conditions;
• Moderna has shown to be 94% effective against the virus and greater than 90% effective for diabetes, obesity and other health conditions;
• Johnson & Johnson has shown to be 66% effective against the virus and 85% effective in preventing Covid-19 with severe illness.
Getting the Covid vaccine will mean having a microchip injected in me so that the government can track me
• This myth is based on a fake video that has been posted on the internet. The needle used to inject the vaccine is actually smaller than any microchip.
The Covid vaccine will alter my DNA
• Covid vaccines do not alter the DNA in any way. The vaccine never enters the nucleus of the cell where DNA is located.
The Vaccine and the booster shot will cost more than I can afford
• The vaccine and any follow up booster shots will be free
“While Covid cases had been in decline in Texas and elsewhere in the nation, the arrival of the Delta variant, a much more contagious variant than the initial one, has meant a rapid rise in infections,” said says Lonnie L. Vickers, MD, Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians at Brady Medical Clinic, a service of Heart of Texas Healthcare System. This variant unfortunately is much more transmissible, he said and creates a higher risk for individuals who remain unvaccinated.”
“By far the overwhelming percentage of those who have contracted Covid since the Delta variant began to rage are among the unvaccinated according to Dr. Vickers. And this time, he points out, “younger people are getting very sick as well as the previously more vulnerable older population.”
Those who receive the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine will require a second dose, typically given two to three weeks after the first dose. This is to ensure an optimal immune response develops to prevent illness from COVID-19. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine does not require a second dose.
Starting in September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, booster shots will become available initially for the elderly and healthcare workers and others among the first to get vaccinated at the beginning of 2021. The booster shot is designed to be given to those who have been fully vaccinated for at least eight months.
The number of McCulloch County residents who have been vaccinated remains below the national average, meaning a high risk of transmission in the community.
Vaccines are currently available for Texans ages 12 and up and are available in the community through Heart of Texas Healthcare System. For more information, please call Brady Medical Clinic at 325-597-2114.
About Heart of Texas Healthcare System
Heart of Texas Healthcare System provides healthcare for residents of McCulloch County and the surrounding area. Founded in 2011, the system offers many medical services, including 24-hour emergency care, advanced radiology services, a clinical laboratory, dialysis services, physical therapy, surgical services, patient education, sleep studies, and more. The system also owns and operates Brady Medical Clinic, which provides family medicine, preventive care, and acute care for minor emergencies. For additional information, please visit www.heartoftexashealthcare.org.