Canadian schools were a hot spot for the coronavirus this week. Ten new cases were reported during the last five school days, doubling the number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases on campuses since school started on Aug. 16.

After a flurry of reports over the last few school days, Superintendent Lynn Pulliam reported yesterday (Wednesday, Sept. 15) that—of the 20 cases reported—only 11 are still active at Canadian ISD. Nine students had completed the quarantine period and were returning to their respective campuses.

Last Thursday, Dr. Pulliam reported the 11th confirmed positive in a pre-K student. Case No. 12 was reported Monday in a sophomore student, and before the day was out, a 13th case was confirmed in a fourth-grader. On Tuesday, the count rose to 18, with COVID-positives at Baker Elementary, the middle school, and the high school. Nos. 19 and 20 followed yesterday (Wednesday) and involved a CHS staff member and a senior student.

The good news, reported Nurse Molly Kerrigan to school trustees Tuesday evening, was that none of the students were experiencing symptoms more serious than bad allergies, and several of the earlier confirmed-positive students would be returning this week, lowering the overall number of active cases.

Hemphill County Hospital offered some clarification this week, too, confirming that the cases reported by the school are not being tested at their lab, and are not reflected in the numbers they report on a daily and weekly basis. The hospital released its 14-day testing summary late yesterday afternoon, reporting that in the period from Sept. 1-14, their lab had performed 245 tests and had 41 positive results. Of the tests they have conducted, there are now 20 confirmed-positive COVID cases active in Hemphill County, and 21 positives in out-of-county residents who tested here.

As usual, the hospital emphasized that those numbers do not include results for Hemphill County residents who test elsewhere, nor do they accurately represent the total number of active cases in the county now.

The good news this week from HCH is that they have no hospitalized COVID-19 inpatients, and they have only transferred one ER patient and one hospital inpatient to higher care facilities since July 1. They did issue this statement at midweek: “In an effort to keep our community informed, HCH wanted to pass on the news of a nationwide shortage of Regeneron, a monoclonal antibody treatment used for certain COVID-19 positives.”

Hemphill County residents should know, the report said, that this medication is now on allocation from the state of Texas, that the hospital has a very limited supply on hand, and that it is reserved for their highest risk patients.

Both the hospital and Canadian Family Physicians are administering first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine every Wednesday throughout the month. The hospital clinic is held from 4:30-5:30 pm, and the CFP clinic offers the vaccines from 8 am-1 pm. No appointment is necessary. Those wishing to get the vaccine are asked to allow 30-45 minutes for their dose.