'Only now have our hospitalization rates dropped': Harris County's COVID-19 threat level moves down to orange

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has lowered the county's COVID-19 threat level from red, the most dangerous, to orange, an indication that the illness still poses a significant threat but infections and hospitalizations have decreased.

The system had been at red since last month, when the omicron variant slammed the county hard, Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported.

According to Hidalgo, the latest hospitalization figures are to where they're not straining the county's health care system.

"The omicron wave hit Harris County very, very hard," the county judge said, KTRK reported. "In fact, only now have our hospitalization rates dropped to levels that don't immediately threaten the capacity of our health care system."

However, Hidalgo warned that the possibility of another wave remains.

“A month and a half later, while we appear to be moving in the right direction, there are no guarantees we won't see another wave in the future,” she said.

The change comes as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) is set to return after a two-year hiatus.

In 2020, the event was in full swing when initial word of the World Health Organization's classification of COVID-19 as a pandemic forced it to abruptly end earlier than scheduled.

When HLSR season came last year, NRG Park remained devoid of the festive Western-themed environment it has been accustomed to every late February since 1932.

The event is slated to begin on Feb. 28.

Hidalgo urged those who are unvaccinated to receive their shots as soon as possible, Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported.

Under level orange, the same individuals are urged to continue wearing masks, practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings while vaccinated people must wear masks indoors and during activities with close contact with others who aren't fully inoculated.