MENARD, Texas — Menard County has seen 10 COVID-19-related deaths and County Judge Brandon Corbin has mourned each one.
“I know every single one of them. I know their families. There are people that I have personal relationships with. I have a childhood friend whose father passed away of it as well," Corbin said.
Corbin said his county saw more than 50 new COVID-19 cases in August and expects to see the same trend for September. They may not seem like many compared to Dallas, Houston or even San Angelo, but the population of Menard County is not much more than 2,000 people.
"When you're looking at percentages, it's just as present in these rural communities as it is in larger urban area, which I think is important for people to know," he said.
Haskell Memorial Hospital Chief Operations Officer Mary Belle Olson said her community has had many of the same experiences.
"And it's like almost on a daily basis. You hear of someone, you know, or a loved one, or someone's loved one that has come down with it or been exposed to it," she said.
Olson's hospital has had staffing shortages because of infections.
"Because our own staff was affected by COVID and then not even nursing staff, but just staff in general, whether it's admin staff or other nonclinical staff that ended up coming down with COVID and had to be out while they were recovering," Olson said.
According to Texas Organization for Rural and Community Hospitals President John Henderson, this has become common. Rural hospitals are also having trouble keeping staff.
"When you talk about the rates that some urban hospitals are paying, along with sign-on bonuses, you know they have a lot of trouble retaining nursing help," Henderson said.
Throckmorton County Memorial Hospital Nurse Manager Kensi Voss and nurse practitioner Randy King said Throckmorton felt insulated from the virus until recently.
"We thought we were shelter for a long time, but because of travel, and recently because of the windmills that are employing some near 500 employees, we are a mecca now of people coming from all over the country and it has infiltrated our community," King said.
King implores his fellow community members practice some basic etiquette to avoid spread.
"If you are ill, you need to be isolating your family and staying in, and not socializing and going to restaurants and things of that nature," King said.
Corbin said anyone with questions should ask their doctor.
"Unfortunately, there's people that are trying to draw attention and trying to get clicks and, therefore, money by putting sensational reports out there that are just simply not true. So, I really encourage people to think about who deserves to have your trust. And for me, that's my primary care physician," Corbin said.