Labor Day Weekend comes as COVID-19 numbers are trending downward across North Texas, but it comes with a reminder from health officials to remain vigilant.
“The prediction is that we’re doing pretty good. Meaning that there are more people getting better every day than people that are contracting the virus,” Fort Worth Director of Public Health and Code Compliance Brandon Bennett said. “That’s good, but just a few weeks ago that was the exact opposite. We had more people getting the virus and less people getting better. So, it can turn in a matter of a couple of weeks.”
After Memorial Day, Fort Worth and other cities across North Texas saw COVID-19 numbers climb. Health leaders are hoping residents don’t backslide into bad habits.
“I don’t want anybody to take some of this good news right now as permission to go out and not wear a mask or to go out and no longer have social distancing,” Bennett said.
Bennett said there could be an increase in positive cases in the weeks to come.
“We anticipate that regardless of the holiday we’ll see these numbers start to work their way up here in the middle of September to early October,” Bennett said. “The concern is with the holiday and with children returning back to school – that’s going to add to that increase in number and the biggest concern is the impact on hospital beds.”
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Bennett said Flu season could also mean added concerns.
“We think that we are going to get a double whammy on this one. Flu season is going to kick in, we’re going to see an uptick and then with the children back in school – it’s going to make it all that much worse,” Bennett said. “We just want people to stay vigilant. We want them to get their flu shot. If there is ever a year to get your shot – this is the year.”
