Local doctor concerned hospital trends not improving

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Coronavirus hospitalizations in Texas are down almost 60% from their peak at the beginning of January 2021, but El Paso's hospital rates have held steady.

Dr. Ed Michelson, the chair of Emergency Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center of El Paso, told CBS4 trends could improve as the vaccine rollout continues.

However, Dr. Michelson said the pandemic is still far from over. While a vaccine will protect the person who receives the shot, it may not prevent someone from carrying the virus and spreading it to an unvaccinated person.