JUDGE: We must come together to defeat this

Everybody knows the COVID-19 virus has truly changed our lives.  

We worry about getting infected and what will happen if we get really sick. How bad will it be? Who will pay the bills? Who will take care of the family?  What happens if the infection causes death? Then what?  

We worry about sending the kids to school; and we worry about keeping them out of school. The teachers, administrators and coaches worry about getting sick.  The economy has suffered and we now hope for another mass infusion from the Federal Government to keep moving. No doubt, someday all of this money has to be paid back.  

So what do we do?  

We must come together, we must work together to beat this menace. Most do what is necessary to win this battle. Most wear masks, keep their distance, avoid large crowds and most are trying to get vaccinated. To those, we say thank you.  

For those who think otherwise, we say think about the harm that inaction has and will continue to cause. Think about those you know who have been infected, those who have died, the kids that missed school, the canceled games and our economy. 

Each of us must realize that we must come together to do the right things to protect each other.  If we don’t this nightmare may never be over.  Just today, there are reports of the new UK variant now being in Texas.

Our ace in the hole is the vaccine. We are administering the Moderna vaccine, which is 95 percent effective. Your Milam County government will run two second round vaccination clinics this week. The first was conducted in Cameron on Wednesday, Feb. 3, and the other in Rockdale on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. These are done by appointment only for the convenience and safety of those getting shots and those giving the shots.

If you are called for the vaccination clinic, please download the two page consent form, complete it and bring it with you to the vaccination clinic. This will save a lot of time.  The form can be downloaded at: http://www.milamcounty.net/upload/page/9873/2nd%20Shot%20Forms.pdf

For almost a year we have struggled with this pandemic and now we have a bright light at the end of the tunnel.  

Two weeks after getting the second shot, one is 95 percent protected from getting seriously ill from the virus.  

This ends the fear of getting deathly ill, or missing work, or a hospital stay with large bills to pay, or simply putting food on the table. We will have fewer sick people and a healthy economy. The teachers can focus on education and we can all get back to where we were.  But only, only, if we all do our part!