JUDGE: Burn ban back on, occupancy limit reduced
BURN BAN IN EFFECT
A burn ban is back in effect for Milam County as of 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 5, 2021. Although we had a lot of rain last week, the grass is dry and burns quickly.
BUSINESS OCCUPANY LIMIT REDUCED AND BARS CLOSED
Effective Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, businesses in the County are reduced from 75 percent to 50 percent occupancy and bars are closed. This is because the hospital occupancy rate for our hospital district for COVID patients has now exceeded 15 percent of the patient list for seven consecutive days, all per Governor Abbott’s Executive Order 32. We cannot lift the new restrictions until we have less than 15 percent COVID occupancy for seven consecutive days. Best guess is early February 2021.
VACCINATIONS
Milam County received 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday, Dec. 29, and the entire allocation has been administered.
We were pleasantly surprised to receive an additional 400 doses of the vaccine on Tuesday, Jan. 5. We had been told to expect the shipment on Friday, Jan. 8. However, we will get it administered in short order.
We will have a large vaccination clinic at the Rockdale Hospital on Saturday, Jan. 9, Texas A&M Health Science will vaccinate on Monday, Jan.11, and the Milam County Health Department will continue to vaccinate in Cameron next week.
All of the vaccinations will be done by appointment only. There will be no walk ins. Those who have called in to get on the list will be contacted and told where to go and when to be there. We currently have an approximate 1,000-person waiting list.
To get on the list call the Milam County main number at (254) 697-7000 or email Amy Guillen at aguillen@milamcounty.net. We will gladly get you on the list and notify you when it is your turn.
COVID CASES IN THE COUNTY
Sadly, we have three new COVID deaths to report in Milam County this week. This brings the death total to 14 since the pandemic began.
To date we have 1,576 positive cases in the County. Our free County wide testing program has tested 2,231 Milam County residents with 592 positive results for a 27 percent positivity rate.
We plan to continue the testing until March 2021.
FOOD DONATION BY MR. DRAYTON MCLANE
We thank long time Milam County benefactor Drayton McLane for donating 300 boxes of non-perishable food to Milam County this week. One box will feed a family of four for about one week. The food is being distributed by the very fine pastors of the county to those in need. Should you know of someone that needs a little help, contact your Pastor or my office.