Once again, the Deep East Texas Trauma Service Area’s COVID-19 hospitalizations were more than 15 percent of the TSA’s total capacity, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
On Friday, the Deep East Texas TSA, or TSA H, had a hospitalization rate of 16.85 percent. That’s up from the 16.69 reported on Thursday.
The last time that TSA H was below the 15-percent threshold was on Dec. 18. Starting on Dec. 21, the Deep East Texas TSA has now gone four days in a row with the hospitalization rate above 15 percent.
If the Deep East Texas TSA goes another three days straight with its hospitalization rate at 15 percent or more of its total capacity, some businesses will have to reduce their capacity to 50 percent again.
Counties in the Deep East Texas Trauma Service Area include Angelina, Nacogdoches, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, and Tyler.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Sept. 17 that counties could reopen businesses to 75 percent capacity and allow the resumption of elective surgeries. Bars were also allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity. However, counties in Trauma Service Areas with over 15 percent COVID-19 hospitalizations for seven consecutive days would be excluded from that reopening.
For the Deep East Texas TSA to go back to 75 percent capacity, the rate needs to be below 15 percent for seven-straight days.