Wichita Falls Officials Issue Warning Ahead of Thanksgiving

The recent rise of COVID-19 cases in Wichita County has local officials concerned that we’ll see a spike in cases after the Thanksgiving holiday.

According to Texoma’s Homepage, Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District Director of Health, Lou Kreidler is encouraging residents to exercise caution this Thanksgiving. She says the recent rise in cases can be traced back to Halloween, continuing the trend of cases spiking after holidays. She expects another spike in cases after Thanksgiving.

For the holiday, Kreidler recommends limiting gatherings to small groups. Families who do choose to gather should wear a mask when inside and unable to maintain social distancing:

This year is not the time for family gatherings. This year is the time to celebrate those that you love differently. I know we all want to be together and to celebrate all the things we are thankful for and just gather with our friends and family but now is not the time. I implore you to make wise choices for you and your family and for the community.

While the majority of people are doing a good job of wearing masks in public, Kreidler says much of the spread occurs when people meet with friends for meals, making Thanksgiving a high-risk event.

As of Wednesday, November 17, there are a total of 5,707 cases in Wichita County. The total number of active cases in the county is 2,060 with 1,967 patients recovering at home. There were 121 new recoveries reported by Wichita County Public Health District Communication and Marketing Director Lindsay Barker on Tuesday. In all, there have been 3,540 recovered COVID-19 cases in Wichita County.