Coronavirus Update: October 21st, 2020

By The Numbers:
Statistics are current as of October 21st, 11:00am CT  

• In Texas, 7,444,326 people have been tested, resulting in 833,557 cases and 17,087 deaths, as reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services. There are an estimated 83,973 active cases in our state, and an estimated 733,758 coronavirus patients in Texas have successfully recovered.  
• Tarrant County has at least 54,332 confirmed cases, the third-highest number of cases among Texas counties; Parker County has 2,256 confirmed cases; and Wise County has 848.  
• In the United States, there are at least 8,188,585 cases and 219,499 deaths, as reported by the CDC.

Need to Know:

• As we enter the holiday season, don’t let health and safety take a holiday too. Texas, along with almost half of all U.S. states, is reporting increased coronavirus cases, with our state recently reporting the most coronavirus hospitalizations in nearly 2 months, a figure that also holds true for Tarrant County. Thanks in part to promising new treatments and a decrease in the virus’ spread among more elderly Texans, many health experts say that Texas is now better equipped than ever to handle a rise in cases—but keep doing your part to slow the spread, especially as the CDC has begun warning of increased risk as people travel and socialize more amid fall and winter holidays. Be sure to follow these updated CDC guidelines to make sure you and your loved ones are safely celebrating the holiday season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

• Meals to Go are available for Fort Worth ISD virtual learners. The uncertainty of this academic year has created stress for parents whose children rely on schools to provide nutritious meals. Breakfast and lunch for Fort Worth ISD virtual learners have recently become available at 28 convenient curbside pickup sites for children who might otherwise go hungry. To learn more, visit here or contact the Fort Worth ISD Child Nutrition Services at 817-814-3500.

• ICYMI, read my newsletter on how Operation Warp Speed is racing ahead, cutting red tape—not corners. I’ve been receiving important briefings on Operation Warp Speed, the Trump Administration’s historic plan to produce a coronavirus vaccine in record time, while adhering to essential standards for safety and effectiveness every step of the way. In case you missed it, read my latest e-newsletter on the massive public-private partnership underway to deliver a vaccine faster than ever before in our history.  

• To locate a testing site in Fort Worth, visit fortworthtexas.gov/COVID-19/testing/. To locate a testing site anywhere in Texas, visit bit.ly/txcovidtest.