Although the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) had record of nine fewer active cases of COVID-19 to start this week in Austin County compared to the previous week, two more fatalities were reported to bring the total to 41.

Monday, there were an estimated 152 active cases according to DSHS and since the pandemic began, there are 2,249 total confirmed cases and an estimated 2,561 cases have been declared recovered.

Also at the beginning of the week, Sealy ISD announced it will be closing schools Thursday and Friday this week after a spike in cases was seen over the weekend.

Superintendent Bryan Hallmark said at last Wednesday’s school board meeting that a third-grade classroom was shut down for the rest of last week after a teacher and two students tested positive and two more students were sent home sick. This week, he announced a district-wide closure to keep everyone away from school for the long weekend and estimated a return to classes Sept. 7

“My biggest concern right now is having cases that are potentially connected. Last year, we only had two connected incidents all year,” Hallmark said in a Monday statement. “The rationale being that we get students and staff away from one another for five consecutive days. This will slow the spread and give us time to identify additional cases and quarantine those individuals. Unlike past variants, the virus is detectable with Delta in four days. By Sunday-Monday, staff and families will likely know if they have COVID issues and need to quarantine.”

Although schools will be closed Friday, extracurricular activities were set to continue as scheduled the statement said. Sealy football was set to travel to Navasota, Sealy volleyball is scheduled to host Caldwell Friday and the Sealy cross country teams are scheduled to compete in Bellville's meet Saturday morning.

"All extracurricular activities will continue as scheduled as long as there are not connected cases within programs," it says. "If something changes with extracurricular activities, you will hear directly from your child's coach."

The Monday statement also said the district will be updating its protocols to institute quarantines for students and staff who have positive COVID-19 cases in their home.

Individuals will be forced “to quarantine for 10 days or may return earlier with a negative, lab-confirmed test performed on day six or later of their quarantine,” it says. “We have seen too many cases where spouses and siblings become positive two-four days after exposure, causing additional cases at school. This quarantine also applies to individuals who have been vaccinated.”

In the running list of cases in the district since teachers returned Aug. 16, there were 43 active cases as of Monday. 11 cases were reported at the beginning of the week which matched the high from the first day cases were tracked. 38 cases have been declared recovered for a total of 81 cases in the district – from pre-kindergarten to central administration – over two weeks.

Only some of those numbers coincided with County Judge Tim Lapham’s weekly update that details how many cases are in each city. Released Monday, Lapham said the count is for the week of Aug. 22-29 and although not all of the cities in his table are in Austin County, they reflect those who list their home address in the county when tested.

“This is people who put down an Austin County address when they were tested. While some of these cities are not located in Austin County, some of their mail routes are,” Lapham said.

Of the 112 total cases – an 18-case increase from the previous week – in his table, 63 were in Sealy, 30 were in Bellville, nine in Wallis, six in New Ulm, two in Cat Spring and one each in Industry and Fayetteville.

“I have no information concerning the vaccination status of any of these cases. I am hearing from some that I visit with that they were vaccinated,” Lapham said Monday. “The vaccine is really an immune system booster. It has never been intended to keep you from getting the virus, it is meant to lessen the symptoms. Some may have gotten vaccinated, been exposed to the virus and had minor or no symptoms. In these cases, the vaccine has done its job.”

Statewide as of Monday, DSHS has record of 28,951,789 vaccine doses administered and had 13,682,816 people registered as fully vaccinated. In Sealy, the state said 10,618 vaccine doses have been administered, 5,169 people are considered fully vaccinated and 6,458 people have received at least one dose. In Bellville, 7,740 total doses have been administered and 3,764 are considered fully vaccinated and in Wallis, 2,572 total doses have been given and 1,258 are considered fully vaccinated. 

Countywide as of Monday, DSHS said 76.22% of residents 65 years or older and 47.25% of those 12 years or older are considered fully vaccinated. 84.32% of those 65 years or older, and 57% of those 12 years or older, have received at least one dose of the vaccine according to the state.