County Judge KP George Lowers COVID- 19 Risk Level on the Second Anniversary of First Confirmed Case in the State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Fort Bend, TX) – As Fort Bend County marks the second anniversary of the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the state, County Judge KP George, today lowered the county’s COVID-19 risk level from Level Orange (Moderate/Significant Community Risk) to Level Yellow (Low/Moderate Community Risk).

It was March 4, 2020, that the first positive COVID-19 case in the state of Texas outside of the federal quarantine site in San Antonio was found in Fort Bend County.

During the press briefing, held at the Fort Bend County Rosenberg Annex, George reflected on the measures the county has taken since that time to slow the spread of the virus and the efforts it continues to make to provide accessible testing, vaccinations, and boosters to residents.

“Two years ago we started on a journey and we didn’t know clearly what we were facing or what was headed our way, but together we stepped up to the plate to meet the challenge of protecting our residents,” George stated.

Joined by Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Director Dr. Jacqueline Minter and Mark Flathouse, Manager of the Office of Emergency Management,  George spoke on the number of vaccines the county has administered, noting that Fort Bend County stands out compared to other counties in the state due to having one of the highest coronavirus vaccination rates in Texas.

Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services indicates that more than 77% of Fort Bend County residents age 5 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19,  87% ages 5 and older have received one dose, nearly 100% of residents 65 and up are fully vaccinated, and over 97% of residents age 65 and up have received one dose.

“Fort Bend County leads the state in the fight against COVID-19 through our testing and vaccination efforts. From day one we knew we were in a fight to slow the spread of the virus, especially in our most vulnerable communities,” said Judge George.  “We worked together with our Health and Human Services Director, our Office of Emergency Management, first responders, community partners, medical facilities, and hospitals to help our residents.”

There have been over 135,000 confirmed COVID cases in Fort Bend with nearly 1,200 deaths related to coronavirus. Over 231,000 vaccines have been administered at Fort Bend County-operated sites.

Judge George urged residents to continue to be vigilant in the fight against COVID-19, even though the risk level has been lowered, asking them to keep up precautions such as wearing face coverings and social distancing.

COVID-19 testing, vaccines, and boosters are free for residents. Please visit https://www.fbchealth.org/ to view the FBC COVID-19 testing locations or call (281) 633-7795 for more information.

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About Fort Bend County Judge KP George: Judge KP George assumed the office of Fort Bend County Judge on January 1, 2019. The County Judge is the executive of Fort Bend County’s governing body and presides over Commissioners Court, which oversees the County’s more than 3,000 employees and its nearly $400 million dollar budget. Fort Bend County is the tenth largest county in Texas and one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States.

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